|
|
April 9, 2008
With the emergence of spring, the campus of Augustana College will soon become a rather sizable construction zone.
“This is an exciting time that will present some short time challenges,” says Augustana President Rob Oliver. “Some detours and other inconveniences will be necessary as construction progresses, but soon we will see an Augustana like never before. We are not only upgrading the physical appearance of the College, we are also enhancing the college experience for our students.”
Currently, the most visible project is underway between 29th and 30th Streets on Summit Avenue. Sioux Falls Seminary broke ground on March 28 for its new 45,000 square foot building. The seminary staff plans to occupy the new structure in summer, 2009.
“We will be merging the Sioux Falls Seminary theological collection into ours, making this shared library a wonderful teaching space for Augustana students as well as Sioux Falls Seminary students,” says Dr. Mark Braun, Augustana’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College.
During Augustana’s spring break, the $7.2 million reconstruction of Mikkelsen Library began. Last fall, President Oliver announced a gift of $6 million from anonymous donors directed to the redesign and refurbishing of the 54-year-old structure. Reconstruction will incorporate the latest technology in electronic information retrieval within comfortable group and quiet study areas. Additional learning enhancements include a video production and editing suite and a common gathering center, including a fireplace. “We will have ‘ground blessing’ ceremonies for the renovation of the Mikkelsen Library on Friday, April 18, at 10:00 a.m.,” says Dr. Braun. “We have been busy this spring working with TSP Architects and Henry Carlson Construction on some preparation work on the interior of the library. The actual renovation work will be done in earnest over the summer and fall in order to meet our February, 2009, completion target.”
The library project is part of a multi-year fundraising campaign for Augustana. Included in the $120 million effort is a $40 million reconstruction of Gilbert Science Center, which when dedicated in 1966 was billed as one of the best natural science facilities in the north central United States. “We have outstanding faculty teaching in Gilbert and we want to provide them with the best equipment and technology available,” says President Oliver. Gilbert Science Center currently houses classrooms and laboratories for biology, chemistry, mathematics, nursing, physics, and computer science.
“We have been meeting regularly with the architects for the Gilbert Science Center project,” says Dr. Braun. “During the past month the faculty on our planning committee toured new science facilities at other colleges, and we will finish design concepts by June. Our plan is to transform Gilbert so that it is once again a state-of-the-art science facility and worthy of the premier science teaching and research activities at Augustana.”
Dr. Braun added the College continues to improve and expand its academic program. “We have recently hired our new orchestra conductor, who will work closely with the Augustana String Quartet in our partnership with the South Dakota Symphony. The faculty recently approved a new Anthropology major, which will include coursework abroad through a new partnership with the University of Exeter in England. In addition, we have added a new minor in Political Philosophy, and have created a new partnership between Augustana and Study Australia/Education Abroad Network for interim courses beginning January, 2009, in Australia, and eventually in China, Thailand, and Singapore.”
Dr. Braun noted that the annual Augustana Student Research Symposium is set for Saturday, April 26. “During the afternoon we will showcase our student researchers at Augustana with both oral presentation sessions and a poster session. Our keynote address that evening will be given by Augustana graduate Erik Jensen, senior legal advisor to the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.”
Contact: Bruce Conley
Director of News Information
Phone: (605) 274-5526
Fax: (605) 274-4903
www.augie.edu