1. Admissions Suite
You are standing outside of the Admissions Suite in the front entrance of Harper Center, home to Chicago Booth's Full-Time MBA Program. Booth gives students unparalleled flexibility to choose courses and dive into learning experiences that build directly upon their educational and professional backgrounds. Such academic freedom allows students to explore interests, challenge themselves, and develop strong relationships while preparing for their future careers goals. This space also serves as a gathering spot for students coming and going from Harper Center to downtown, and is often where people meet to share rides or walk to the Metra station together.Click on the audio recordings below to hear stories from students about this space.
2. Nobel Laureate Wall
This wall is a dedication to our many Nobel laureates. They are groundbreaking theorists and researchers such as George Stigler, Merton Miller, Myron Scholes, and Eugene Fama. Most recently, we welcomed Richard Thaler to the group. The unique thing about Chicago Booth is that we deeply value differing perspectives and contrarian points of view. So much so that two professors with completely opposing theories on economic markets are both honored here with Nobel Prizes and prominent positions on our faculty.Click the audio recording below for a student story about Nobel laureates at Booth.
3. Opening Bell Café
The Opening Bell Café is a popular stop for students to grab coffee and pastries before they head to class. Notice the name of the coffee shop—a play on the morning tradition of ringing the bell on the stock exchange floor to signify the start of the day's trading session. Enjoy a cup while you stroll around the rest of the Harper Center!Click the audio recording below for a student story about the Opening Bell Café.
4. Trading Booth
Chicago Booth is lucky to have a rare artifact of historical significance... Can you guess what it is? Yes, this is an antique trading post that was used on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange from 1929 to 1981. It is one of 13 originals that were redistributed to museums and business schools during the Post Preservation Project between 1980 and 1982. Note the identifying number at the top. This number helped guide stockbrokers to the appropriate post for trading specific companies. It’s humbling to have such an indelible piece of financial history here within Harper Center.Click the audio recording below to hear students talking about the Trading Booth.
5. Student Lounge
The student lounge is a 3,500-square-foot space designed exclusively for student use, including hosting student club events, playing pool, meeting with friends, eating lunch (it’s equipped with refrigerators and microwaves in the kitchenette), watching a game on TV, reading and studying, and even napping. The student lounge is a common spot to catch up with fellow Boothies before, after, or between classes.Click the audio recordings below to hear student stories about the Student Lounge.(The student lounge is keycard access only)
6. Student Mailboxes
When it comes to delivering papers, notes, flyers, and other important hard copy communications to other members of the Booth community, we have our designated “mailboxes.” Each student and club has an assigned mailbox, so there are close to 1,200 in all!Click the audio recording below to hear a student story about the mailboxes.
7. Kovler Café
Chicago Booth is a choice-rich environment and our dining options reflect that concept as well. The Kovler Café is considered one of the best cafeterias on the University of Chicago campus. There are countless food selections and a rotating daily menu offering everything from soups and salads to sushi and enchiladas. The Kovler has outdoor seating for the warmer weather months and a full service barista when you need a caffeine boost to get through class. Also, it is not unusual to run into your professors, the deans, or a Nobel Prize winner while waiting in line at lunch.Click on the audio recordings below to hear stories from students about the Kovler Café.
8. Business Center
If you need to mail anything, pick up office supplies, get posters printed, or make copies of that report for class, this is the place to go. The Harper Center was designed to have everything our students need during their MBA education and to aggregate all of our resources under one roof.Click on the audio recording below to hear a student story about the Business Center.
9. Summer Garden
The Summer Garden outdoor communal space houses a large tree in the center—notice anything strange about it? It is actually a piece of artwork called “Ideas of Stone.” Created by Italian sculptor Giuseppe Pinone in 2004, this bronze and steel sculpture has been here since 2010. It stands 42 feet tall, weighs nearly 30 tons, and is said to be worth $1.3 million. The piece piques intellectual curiosity and sparks the inquisitive spirit that thrives here at Booth.Click on the audio recordings below to hear stories from students about the Summer Garden.(Please Note: the exterior doors to the Summer Garden are keycard access only)
10. Winter Garden
This is the Winter Garden of the Charles M. Harper Center, which opened in 2004 to fully integrate the entire Booth community (students, faculty, administration, career services, and staff) into one building. Designed by Uruguayan architect Rafael Viñoly to reflect the architectural influences of Hyde Park, Harper Center is a contemporary nod to the neo-gothic architecture of the surrounding campus, specifically Rockefeller Chapel just across the street. This 6-story space is the focal point of the Harper Center and serves as a common area for students between classes as well as a space for Booth to host events.Click the audio recording below to hear a student story about the Winter Garden.
