One hundred new students moved into the cool new rooms of Johnson Hall, when the doors opened on August 22.

The $1.9 million renovations completed this summer provide air conditioning in the University's oldest female residence hall. The renovation also includes remodeling of all interior spaces, expansion of restrooms, new roof and windows, new furniture, handicap accessibility, and elevator access to all four floors.

In addition to the Johnson Hall renovation, students were welcomed back by several other additions.

Parking — A new parking lot near 53rd and Madison Ave. will provide approximately 50 stalls. Three houses were torn down to provide for the parking lot. Nearly all materials from the houses were recycled.

Wireless internet — Wireless internet has been installed in all campus housing.

Fire Sprinklers Installation — All sororities and fraternities have installed fire sprinklers in their Greek houses. The sororities and fraternities utilized the University’s Greek Fire Safety Program, which provided each Greek house with a 20-year interest-free loan up to $67,000 to install sprinklers. The University required all Greek houses to install fire sprinklers by September 2012. NWU is among few college campuses in the country that has installed fire sprinklers in all of its campus housing.

Picnic tables — Picnic tables with umbrellas has been added on the south side of Story Student Center, just outside the Coffee House.

Programs — New programs have been added to the Wesleyan Advantage Program, the University’s adult degree program. Through a new partnership with Iowa Western Community College (IWCC), Nebraska Wesleyan now offers a bachelor of science degree in nursing at IWCC’s Council Bluff’s campus and Clarinda, Iowa, center. In Omaha, Nebraska Wesleyan now offers a bachelor of science degree in social work.

The new academic year also mark’s Nebraska Wesleyan University’s 125th anniversary. The celebration officially kicks off on September 20 with the annual Visions & Ventures Symposium, a cornerstone ceremony, campus photo and campus picnic. The celebration continues throughout the year with homecoming, a 12,500 hour service challenge, and a Tedx:Nebraska Wesleyan conference.