The $30 million building, which opened for the first day of classes, is in line with the journalism school’s goals — training a generation of tech-savvy journalists, who many hope will save the struggling industry.

“The project started being conceptualized fifteen years ago, just as the industry was starting to change,” said Matthew Sheehan, the journalism school’s assistant to the dean for web strategies. “We needed more classrooms, more seminar rooms and more offices, but we also wanted to build a space that would equip students with the tools necessary to compete in the industry.”

This new set of tools includes a class set of new iPod Touch devices and laptops to use in classes on mobile reporting.

Although some students, such as graduating seniors, will only be able to use the building for one semester, many are excited for the unveiling of the new facilities.

“I’m very excited that we’re going to get a new building,” senior journalism major Kyle Patton said. “The new classes that the current freshmen are going to get to take in podcasting and web design are probably going to be a lot more useful than the newspaper layout classes I had to take.”

Sheehan said the project, which broke ground in 2007, was completed on time and on budget. About $16 million was allocated by the state, while the remaining funds were donated by private investors and corporations.

Knight Hall, located between the Tawes Hall and Cole Field House, is the first in what the university plans to be a set of new buildings and green spaces on the western part of the campus.

Architects and contractors focused on ensuring the site would be environmentally friendly. Everything from the recycled wood used to build the structure to the dual-flush toilets installed in the bathrooms is eco-friendly.

Although classes are being held in the building and most of the facilities are open, the third floor lab space, dubbed Studio C, is still undergoing construction. This area, which will focus on modern multimedia journalism, will open in May.

“This space is going to give students the opportunity to experiment with podcasting, video and audio editing, and writing simultaneously,” Sheehan said. “This is where we challenge students to innovate and change the way information is transferred.”

Journalism students will also be able to work on their assignments in the 24-hour News Bubble, a glass enclosed computer lab on the first floor, and recharge at the new café, called “Off the Record.”

“We knew that most journalists and journalism students live off caffeine, so we had to put a coffee shop in the building,” Sheehan said.

With all the new space, the journalism department also plans on spearheading new research projects in the field.

“We lost our research lab in the old building because it had to be used for a classroom,” said professor John Newhagen, who plans on taking advantage of the new research space.

Newhagen and fellow journalism professor Ron Yaros plan to use eye-tracking technology to complete a quantitative study of how viewers respond to various web and multimedia interfaces.

As the journalism department continues to get settled, the behavioral and social sciences college has taken over the old journalism building on McKeldin Mall. The space will be under construction for at least a year before it is fully operational.