Photo Courtesy U.S. Naval Academy
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Mar. 31, 2025) U.S. Naval Academy Mahan Hall aud
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (Mar. 31, 2025) U.S. Naval Academy Mahan Hall auditorium photo. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Bobby Baldock)
Annapolis, MD - The U.S. Naval Academy is proud to announce a generous donation that will transform the historic Mahan Auditorium and secure its future for generations of midshipmen.
In recognition of this kind gift from the Volgenau Family, the auditorium within Mahan Hall has been officially renamed the Volgenau Auditorium at Mahan Hall (Dr. Ernst Volgenau is Class of 1955 and RADM Douglas Volgenau (deceased) was Class of 1959).
This gift will modernize the historic venue’s infrastructure, update seating and interiors, and install cutting-edge audio-visual capabilities to expand opportunities for midshipmen and staff. A portion of the gift will also establish a permanent endowment that will safeguard the auditorium's future by funding ongoing maintenance, routine repairs, and state-of-the-art technological improvements.
“This remarkable gift represents a milestone for the Yard,” said Lt. Gen. Borgschulte, the 66th Superintendent of the Naval Academy. “The Volgenau Auditorium has long been the cultural and academic heart of Mahan Hall. Thanks to this deeply generous investment, it will remain a world-class venue hosting historic lectures, performances, and annual conferences in perpetuity.”
Work on the initial phase of auditorium upgrades is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026, with a formal dedication ceremony to take place at a later date.
Completed in 1907, Mahan Hall stands as one of the architectural anchors of the Academy's historic “Yard” (campus). Designed by renowned architect Ernest Flagg as part of his early 20th-century Beaux-Arts master plan for the Yard, the building was constructed to evoke a deep sense of reverence, history, and military tradition. Flagg utilized dramatic proportions, large arched windows, and intricate nautical design motifs and detailing.
The building is named in honor of historian Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan (Class of 1859), a well-known naval strategist whose seminal 1890 book, “The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783,” reshaped global doctrine and the rise and fall of empires through maritime dominance. From 1907 until 1973, Mahan Hall also served as the Academy’s primary library.
For 118 years, Mahan Hall’s grand auditorium has stood as a focal point of midshipman life by hosting leadership milestones, historic lectures by global military, scientific, academic, and political figures, and a century of cultural traditions. The Volgenau Auditorium at Mahan Hall will remain the home of the USNA Masqueraders – the Academy's historic theater group – as well as high-profile musical performances, including the annual USNA Glee Club winter musical and instrumental concerts.
This gift from the Volgenau Family will ensure that the auditorium’s storied past will be preserved while its infrastructure is consistently modernized for future generations of naval leaders.
Founded in 1845, the U.S. Naval Academy today is a prestigious four-year service academy that prepares midshipmen morally, mentally, and physically to become professional officers in the naval service. More than 4,400 men and women representing every state in the U.S. and several foreign countries make up the student body known as the Brigade of Midshipmen. U.S. News and World Reports has recognized the Naval Academy as the #1 top public school, #3 national liberal arts college, and #5 best undergraduate engineering programs. Upon graduation, midshipmen earn a Bachelor of Science degree in a choice of 26 different subject majors and go on to serve at least five years of exciting and rewarding service as commissioned officers in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. For more information about the Naval Academy, visit www.usna.edu and our social media via linktr.ee/usnavalacademy.
