The University of the Ozarks held ground-breaking ceremonies on Friday, April 23, for a pair of construction projects --- an expansion and renovation of its student center and a new apartment-style residence hall.
More than 250 students, faculty, staff and Board of Trustee members attended the ceremonies, which were held on the first floor of the Seay Student Center. The $5.1 million price tag for the combined projects will include a 14,000-square-foot addition to the student center as well as the new 6,600-square-foot residence hall, Trustee Hall. The two projects are expected to be completed by the spring of 2011.
The funding for the projects comes from the current $40 million Promise of Excellence Campaign, which has raised more than $38 million from 3,600 donors since its inception in 2006.
“Today’s groundbreaking is possible because of the Promise of Excellence Campaign, a five-year campaign now in its final year,” said Ozarks President Dr. Rick Niece. “A broad purpose for the campaign is to improve our quality of education and, in doing so, to make life better, longer, healthier, and more fulfilling for students, as well as other members of the campus community. The two building projects officially beginning today, with this groundbreaking, perfectly exemplify the purpose of our mission and the theological traditions of our Presbyterian heritage.”
Key elements of the student center improvements include a new health and fitness center, a new community conference center and increased dining capacity for students. Trustee Hall will house 20 students and will be the final complex that will complete a four-hall quad area in the northeast section of campus.
“These projects show the amazing commitment of our donors to this campus,” said Student Government Association President Brett Wood. “They saw what was needed and they made it happen.”
James H. Cone Construction of Little Rock will serve as the general contractor for the two projects. The lead architect was Ken Emanuelson of JKJ Architects in Rogers.
