Smith Hall of Science & Technology is both the oldest and the newest academic building on campus. Inscribed in stone above its entrance is a legend that speaks to the building’s purpose and Grove City College’s mission: “The Spread of Knowledge. The Discovery of Truth. The Development of Character.”
The iconic tower first rose over the campus in 1931, when the building was dedicated as the Hall of Science. It was the first academic building on upper campus and the only one fronting the College’s main Quad as laid out by the Olmsted Brothers’ plan. In 1966 it was renamed Rockwell Hall in honor of Willard Rockwell, a trustee who was president of the Rockwell Standard Corporation and a donor.
In 2024-25, Rockwell underwent a $50 million renovation that brought the flagship building into the 21st century with new classroom, laboratory, and collaborative spaces and connected it with STEM Hall, creating a 100,000-square foot citadel of science at the heart of campus. It was rededicated as Smith Hall in honor of lead donors William Smith Jr. ’69 and his wife Dieva. MORE>>
In the early 20th century, physics professor Dr. Herbert Harmon conducted pioneering work in radio that led, in 1920, to Grove City College making one of the first broadcasts in the country. The station born from that work, WSAJ, broadcast for much of its hundred-year history from an antenna on top of Smith’s 100-foot tower.
During World War II, the strength of the College’s science programs helped it win a contract to provide engineering and radar training to the troops, and more than 4,000 servicemen learned skills critical to winning the war in the Hall of Science’s classrooms.
Growing interest in science and technology majors in the post-war era led to the construction of Hoyt Hall in 1966 to accommodate the growth of engineering programs. STEM Hall was opened in 2013 in response to increased student interest in biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science programs.
Smith Hall is a dramatic architectural statement that has become a symbol of Grove City College. Each winter a giant star on the top of the tower is lit to mark the Christmas season.