Ezra Taft Benson Building
Built in 1995
Ezra Taft Benson Building: Where We Began (1995)
Built in 1995, the Ezra Taft Benson Building breathes new life into the area once occupied by the old Joseph Smith Building. Dedicated to the spirit of scientific innovation that its namesake cherished, President Ezra Taft Benson, former prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Secretary of Agriculture under the Eisenhower administration, inspires BYU’s commitment to making a difference in the world.
Immediately after the completion of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, construction began on the Ezra Taft Benson Building. It was built in the area previously occupied by the old Joseph Smith Building. This 190,000 square foot building was dedicated in October 1995 and was designed as a multi-function facility, as are many of the buildings on campus. As the university community includes so many LDS students, there is not adequate church space available in the downtown Provo area. Rather than build numerous churches to handle the students, the facilities on campus are designed to handle church needs and academic needs. This particular building can house an entire BYU stake for all its meetings on Sunday.
Ezra Taft Benson Building: Where We Are Now
The Simmons Center for Cancer Research (SCCR) at BYU, located in the Ezra Taft Benson building, is dedicated to advancing foundational discovery research to improve the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of cancer. Established in 1977 and named in 2014 after renowned chemist and former director Daniel L. Simmons. Since launching its fellowship program in 1997, the SCCR has funded hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, enabling full-time cancer research that has led to numerous publications and inspired many to pursue lifelong careers in oncology. Through this work, the SCCR continues to train the next generation of cancer researchers and clinicians while making meaningful contributions to the global fight against cancer.