Student Center Expansion

Student Center Expansion Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking ceremony for a $12 million expansion and renovation to the College’s Student Center was held Saturday, April 27. Construction on the 72,000 square foot structure will begin soon after commencement on May 18; the building should be ready by fall 2014.

Check out this coverage of the groundbreaking in The News & Advance.

Guests at the ceremony assembled on Student Center Plaza to hear brief remarks from LC staff, students, and trustees including Charles P. (Chuck) Collings ’73, chair of the Student Center Expansion Campaign. Featuring music by the Southwind traditional music ensemble, the groundbreaking was being held during  Westover Alumni Society Weekend.

The project has been at the top of students’ capital improvement wish list for some time; four years ago a group of students met with the architects to share ideas. The existing structure, completed in 1968, is about 42,000 square feet and will be expanded by 30,000 square feet. Some 8,000 square feet in the existing building will be completely renovated. Dominion 7 Architects, PLC, is the architect and J.E. Jamerson & Sons, Inc. is the general contractor. Construction is currently underway on a new “loop road,” which will eventually reroute traffic around the new facility, allowing more green space and additional parking.

“Our competitors — colleges and universities across the country — are investing money in non-academic facilities. They know, as we do, that students and parents expect those types of facilities and that they factor greatly into college choice, retention, and the overall student experience,” said Vice President for Enrollment Management Rita Detwiler, speaking about LC’s need for an improved campus hub.

“Our guiding question was: Is the space directly related to student use and does it support leadership, community service, diversity, and wellness?” said John Eccles, vice president and dean for student development.

Denise McDonald, vice president for advancement, reported that $5.6 million has been raised to date. “We are extremely grateful for the support from all our donors and are working hard to make this student center a reality,” she said.

The College has met two matching grants that added a boost to the fundraising effort. The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation, on May 9, 2012, challenged the College to raise $200,000 to earn a $100,000 grant, which LC met almost one year before the May 2013 deadline. The Cabell Foundation also issued a two-to-one challenge of $200,000, which the College matched with $400,000. 

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