Students will return to school from summer vacation with a tan, a few pounds gained and knowledge of everything Netflix has to offer, but students in the College of Communication will be returning to something very new.

The Belo Center for New Media is set to officially open for student use on Aug. 1. The five-story building will house the School of Journalism, Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Student Advising and Career Services.

Walking up the multi-tiered spacious front lawn and entering the ground floor of the building, students may think they have been transported into a futuristic world. The color scheme, using bright primary colors and silvers, adds to the fresh atmosphere. Located on the ground floor is a student leadership suite that will serve as the core of student life for registered organizations.

Also located on the ground floor are a café and the new KUT radio station, which will have an outdoor stage and lawn where community members can watch concerts. KUT will have a community engagement room and a more open environment, creating a new partnership between the station and the college that will benefit students seeking internships.

A grand blue staircase leads to the second floor where the advising and career services offices are located. The grouping of most student resources on two floors will come as a great improvement to ease student’s frustration and localize the resources of the College of Communication.

The third floor of the building is dedicated to The School of Journalism. The school boasts a multimedia newsroom that will assist in the new curriculum of the school, which focuses heavily on the multimedia elements of the changing journalism world. The next floor of the building is devoted to the Department of Advertising and Public Relations which will have a “creative room” for students.

Students can expect to have many of their communication classes in the building. With a giant lecture hall and several smaller classrooms, freshmen through seniors will be able to enjoy the building in the fall.

Plenty of seating and study spaces are spread throughout the building. This, along with the sleek design, partnership with KUT and consolidation of student resources will make the Belo Center for New Media a central hub for student creativity and community.

An official grand opening for the building is scheduled for Nov. 1. Check out the time lapse construction video of the Belo Center for New Media below.

UT Belo Center for New Media construction time-lapse from UT College of Communication on Vimeo.