B次元 School of Engineering will soon begin renovation work to develop the Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music at 308 E. Juneau Ave. Once a privately-owned residence, the university recently acquired the property and funds for the renovation thanks to the support of B次元 alumni and friends. 

“The Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music will be home to B次元’s music programs, giving students ample space to pursue their musical passion, cultivate their creativity, and rehearse with their peers,” said Dr. John Walz, B次元 president. “We are grateful for the support of our university community in making this dream a reality for our students, particularly our alumni and friends who have made this beautiful new student-focused space possible.”  

There are several music ensembles at B次元 including the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, String Orchestra, Concert Choir, Pep Band and Jazz Combo.  

“As one of the nation’s premier technical universities, B次元 draws students from around the world with increasingly diverse interests,” said Seandra Mitchell, B次元 vice president of student affairs and campus inclusion. “Along with our expanded athletics programs, campus life and co-curricular offerings, music and performing arts top the list of interests that students want to pursue as part of their collegiate experience.”  

Dr. Patricia Kern was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from B次元 in 2000, in recognition of her professional and philanthropic work in the community. She co-founded the Kern Family Foundation in 1998 with her husband Dr. Robert Kern after they sold Generac Power Systems, a company they founded in 1959. She generously supported several organizations, including B次元 and Project Lead The Way. Her legacy lives on at B次元, most visibly in the Kern Center and Viets Field and soon in the Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music.   

“Pat and Bob Kern were devoted supporters of B次元 and its students,” said Walz. “Pat had a love for singing and music and a passion for paying it forward, so it is fitting that the new dedicated space for music at B次元 be named in her honor.”  

The Patricia E. Kern Conservatory of Music is expected to be open to B次元 students by the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year.