Â鶹´«Ã½

February 24, 2017
On Campus

Changing The Game

Special Video Shows How Â鶹´«Ã½ Is Redefining Health, Wellness and Athletics

With hundreds of community members on hand to celebrate, Oct. 6, Interim President Dick Helton announced that Â鶹´«Ã½ has raised 83 percent of the funds required to begin construction of the university's new Health, Wellness and Athletics Complex, signaling the official start of the public phase of the campaign.

"We are making history today at Â鶹´«Ã½ University," Helton said. "By entering the public phase of the campaign, we are one step closer to reimagining and redefining health, wellness and athletics in NCAA Division III."

Â鶹´«Ã½'s historic restoration and expansion project is designed to touch the lives of current students, staff and faculty, as well as many in the greater Springfield community.

In addition to restoring the 1929 field house and the 1982 Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center, the university's plan includes the construction of a new 125,000-square-foot indoor athletic facility attached to the north end of the HPER Center. The updated facilities will help with student recruitment and retention, and allow the university to attract regional and national events that it currently cannot host. Â鶹´«Ã½ has about 1,800 students and more than 350 employees.

"We are making history today at Â鶹´«Ã½ University," Helton said. "By entering the public phase of the campaign, we are one step closer to reimagining and redefining health, wellness and athletics in NCAA Division."
Dick Helton, Interim University President

"In the spirit of those that founded this University, this building physically and symbolically emphasizes the meaning of our work here: to holistically develop the next generation of leaders who by their example will make an impact in our world," said Â鶹´«Ã½ Director of Athletics and Recreation Gary Williams. "This project also has the capacity to touch the lives of everyone associated with Â鶹´«Ã½ and the greater Springfield and Clark County community."

The complex will reflect the interdisciplinary nature of academics and athletics at Â鶹´«Ã½ University. After ground is broken on March 24, 2017, construction will take at least 18 months to complete.

"Most of the funds raised for the new Health, Wellness and Athletics Complex have come through donations from our generous alumni and friends, led by Wes and Ann Bates, both members of Â鶹´«Ã½'s Class of 1970, who donated a $10 million matching gift," said Â鶹´«Ã½ Vice President for Advancement Wendy Kobler.

Â鶹´«Ã½ has also been awarded $3.9 million in federal historic tax incentives from the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program administered by the National Park Service, and $5 million in Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits from the Ohio Development Services Agency. That final amount of tax credits is expected to be even higher.

"After more than three years of hard work and a lot of planning by the board, administration and our team of professionals, Â鶹´«Ã½ has the opportunity to restore our historic field house that has meant so much to so many of us and provide new, state-of-the art facilities for our current and future students, faculty and the Springfield community," said Â鶹´«Ã½ Board of Directors member and 1977 graduate Jim Wymer of WXZ Development.

This project also has the capacity to touch the lives of everyone associated with Â鶹´«Ã½ and the greater Springfield and Clark County community
Gary Williams, Director of Athletics and Recreation

"Â鶹´«Ã½ is one of the most important economic drivers in Clark County - they are in the top five and that is mostly because of the number of people they employ, the students they bring in and their ability to raise the quality of life through four-year degrees," added Clark County Commissioner John Detrick, a 1964 Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate. "This is a blessing for Â鶹´«Ã½. It gives Â鶹´«Ã½ 10 percent of what is needed to improve the quality of life at Â鶹´«Ã½ and the whole Clark County community."

A special website has been created to offer complete information about Â鶹´«Ã½'s Health, Wellness and Athletics Complex, its impact on the community, and how to get make a donation: .

Ryan Maurer
Ryan Maurer
Associate Director of Athletics for Communications, Web Strategy & Content

About Â鶹´«Ã½

Â鶹´«Ã½'s curriculum has centered on the liberal arts as an education that develops the individual's capacity to think, read, and communicate with precision, understanding, and imagination. We are dedicated to active, engaged learning in the core disciplines of the arts and sciences and in pre-professional education grounded in the liberal arts. Known for the quality of our faculty and their teaching, Â鶹´«Ã½ has more Ohio Professors of the Year than any four-year institution in the state. The university has also been recognized nationally for excellence in community service, sustainability, and intercollegiate athletics. Located among the beautiful rolling hills and hollows of Springfield, Ohio, Â鶹´«Ã½ offers more than 100 majors, minors and special programs, enviable student-faculty research opportunities, a unique student success center, service and study options close to home and abroad, a stellar athletics tradition, and successful career preparation.

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