Evans School of Public Policy & Governance

Home Sweet Home: Our Transformational Remodel

During the UW’s decade-long campaign, Be Boundless – For Washington, For the World, the Evans School community invested more than $50 million in our school through the Campaign for Evans.

Included in this ambitious campaign was the complete renovation of the Evans School’s Parrington Hall, made possible by the generosity of the Evans School community – alumni, friends, staff, faculty, and students – as well as the UW and the State of Washington. Equipped with an expanded, modernized space, our new home provides the next generation of public service leaders with an innovative and inspiring learning environment, so that they can – in turn – bring innovative and inspiring solutions to the world’s most challenging public problems.

We are so pleased to welcome you to explore this newly reimagined space.

A Place to Grow New Relationships

I hope this building serves as a place to establish new partnerships and grow new relationships in the years ahead as we build stronger, more inclusive public policy toward an equitable future.

– Interim Dean & Professor Alison Cullen, November 2020

Video Tour

Experience Parrington Hall’s impressive improvements with this virtual video tour. See exclusive before and after footage of the building and witness how this 1902 historic gem has been transformed into an efficient, flexible, and inspiring learning environment!

**Video and photography provided by Heather Haugstad & Robert Brittingham Photography

A Model for the Campus

This project has been a model for the campus in many ways, as we invest in historical structures, honor our architectural traditions, and leverage public private partnerships across the board.

– UW Provost Mark Richards

While Parrington Hall – a City of Seattle designated historic landmark – remains a historical icon on campus, our remodel shows that it can truly be adapted to modern needs and usage! Parrington Hall’s vital and exciting upgrades include:

  • Five large classrooms (more than doubling our classroom space!) outfitted with the technology needed to prepare public leaders for the challenges of 21st century.
  • Achieving LEED Gold standards thanks to the energy efficiency of all new electrical, ventilation, and climate control systems. This includes air conditioning in all our classrooms to make learning as comfortable as possible!
  • An expanded café area and associated gathering spaces that bring together the Evans School community, in addition to a quiet room and a parent/child room.
  • For the first time ever, there is an internal staircase connecting the basement to the first floor.
  • A beautiful grand staircase created with treads made from material salvaged from the original 520-Floating bridge.
A Brief History of Parrington Hall

Thank you!

Thanks to the immense generosity of more than 500 Evans School alumni, faculty, staff, and public service champions, along with the UW and the State of Washington, $24M was invested in this project, exemplifying our community’s dedication to providing students with a space that supports the kind of collaboration needed to create a more equitable and just society. To our incredible Evans School champions – thank you for making this transformation possible.

With Special Thanks To:

Our Campaign leadership — Bill ClappMaria Denny, the Hon. Daniel J. Evans and Nancy B. Evans, and Tom Waldron (in memoriam); Campaign council members John HoersterSri Remala KamdarMaggie WalkerColleen Willoughby; Members of our Evans School Advisory Board and Honorary Advisory Board; and Dean Emerita Sandra Archibald and Interim Dean Alison Cullen for their tremendous leadership.