AMHERST, N.Y. -- Daemen College has opened the doors to its newest addition to campus, Alumni House, which will serve as a central hub for the Office of Institutional Advancement’s fundraising, alumni relations, and publications operations. 

Once Daemen’s presidential residence, Alumni House sits in a wooded area on campus directly adjacent to the college’s recently opened Honors House. The two-story facility has been reconfigured to include nine offices, meeting and event space for small gatherings, and a reception area.

“For the first time, our institutional advancement team will be centralized in the same building, which will provide for better access and greater collaboration among these key offices,” said Daemen President Gary A. Olson. “Alumni House is a welcoming place where we can engage with our graduates, donors, visitors, and the campus community throughout the year.”

High-speed Internet and Wifi access, electrical upgrades, and other updates have been made to the facility. Many of the 2,600-square-foot home’s original features have been retained, including hardwood floors, fireplaces, and a wooden staircase.

“We are excited to be housed in the same facility as we continue to streamline our services and programs to best serve our constituents,” said Craig Harris, vice president for institutional advancement. “Alumni House will help to further strengthen our presence at Daemen, and we encourage our college and community members to visit us in this wonderful new facility.”

In conjunction with the opening of Alumni House, a new campus parking lot has been constructed behind the facility, adding 62 parking spaces for use by the college community. Extensive efforts were made to retain the area’s large, mature trees and landscaping so that the parking lot is surrounded by greenery. The parking lot entrance and exit is opposite the Business Building.

A short footbridge from the new parking lot has been installed to allow for easy, safe access to a walking path on the south end of campus. The approximately 30-foot bridge, which is built over a culvert, is accessible directly from the lot and connects to campus behind Daemen’s Schenk Hall.

“The bridge allows for safe passage from the new parking lot by Alumni House to the main part of our campus,” said Olson. “Connecting the bridge to the interior of campus will also improve pedestrian traffic flow while providing a direct route to both Alumni House and Honors House.”