Hodson Hall dedicated by admin.

In a ceremony attended by Hopkins faculty, staff, students and alumni, Johns Hopkins University President William R. Brody, along with the Hodson Trust Board and Johns Hopkins Board of Trustees, dedicated Hodson Hall on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The new building, which houses a 500-seat auditorium, nine classrooms, three lecture halls and a reading room, was made possible by a grant by the Hodson Trust and named in memory of Clarence Hodson, a successful banker and philanthropist who revolutionized banking.

Guests, who included Senator Paul S. Sarbanes, senior senator from Maryland and chairperson of the Senate Banking Committee, and Sally Hodson, Mr. Hodson's granddaughter, were lead downstairs to the building's 500-seat auditorium where they were greeted by Raymond "Chip" Mason, the chairman of the Johns Hopkins Board of Trustees.

Mason briefly introduced the Hodson Trust board and explained that it was through their generous grant that the building was made possible.

Mason then presented a short video about the life of Clarence Hodson and the founding of the Hodson Trust.

As the president of Beneficial Finance, Hodson was a banker who increased the availability of personal loans, especially to the working and middle class.

According to the video, Hodson revolutionized the banking industry and amassed a great fortune for himself and stockholders. It was with stock in the company that the trust was initially started to encourage higher education.

The trust, which has donated over $126 million dollars to four institutions of higher learning in Maryland, $39.8 million of which has been to Johns Hopkins, provides merit-based scholarships for students nation-wide to come to these four institutions.

It also contributes funds to cancer research and many on-campus facilities, including the Digital Knowledge Center in the Milton S. Eisenhower Library on Homewood campus.

Brody then spoke about the building's benefits to the campus and elaborated on its diverse facilities and resources.

"There is much to admire in Hodson Hall," Brody said in his address to the crowd. "This building sets a new standard for our academic buildings."

He continued, "Its design is beautiful, its construction is first-class and its presence anchoring a lovely new plaza has transformed this entire part of the campus."

Brody then introduced a video about the effects of the Hodson Trust on the Johns Hopkins community, which included interviews with Hopkins administrators and recipients of the Hodson Trust scholarship.

Brody then introduced Finn Casperson, chairman of the Board of the Hodson Trust, who spoke about the Hodson Trust as well as the building's many advanced facilities.

Each room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including wireless Internet access and touch-screen control of a dual-projection screen, as well as DVD and video players.

The building also contains the archives of the trust as well as the Beneficial Corporation.

Brody then closed by presenting the Hodson Trust Board with a watercolor painting of the new building.

As a final official act of dedication, in lieu of a ribbon-cutting, the building was "plugged-in" with two wires, stretching more than 20 feet, carried by various Hodson scholars.

To close the ceremony, Mason thanked the Hodson Board once again.

"Seldom do you have such an outbreak of appreciation," said Mason. "All the students and faculty are talking about it. We just can't thank you enough.