Off in the distance you could hear the familiar cadence of The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band. They made their way past Lincoln Music Hall and Pugsley Center before coming to a stop on Medary Avenue facing the new SDSU Alumni Center. “Pride Fanfare†signaled the beginning of an evening filled with Jackrabbits of all ages gathering on the new Alumni Green to dedicate the new Alumni Center and President’s Home. On an evening threatened by rain and a nearby tornado warning, more than 1,500 alumni and friends gathered to celebrate their new home.
As guests looked over at the Coughlin Campanile and Coolidge Sylvan Theatre, the leaders of the Alumni Association and Foundation celebrated the partnership that made this building possible and thanked the over 900 donors that contributed to the project. Jerry and Jolene Lohr, Duane Harms and Barb Reed Harms were recognized for providing leadership to the project, as well as providing the first and largest gifts to jumpstart the project. Myron and Joan Van Buskirk were recognized for hosting the first fundraiser and making a significant commitment. Terry and Linda Nelson were also recognized for sponsoring the new Distinguished Alumni and Family of the Year recognitions within the Alumni Center.
Bruce Laughery was recognized for providing a gift to underwrite the cost of rebuilding the clock tower. The clock tower now stands near where Tompkins Alumni Center once stood and the area is known as the Tompkins Family Plaza at the Clock Tower. Several members of the Tompkins family were also on hand to celebrate the dedication of the Alumni Center which includes a tribute to the Tompkins brothers on the second floor.
In addition to the Clock Tower, the Alumni Green also features two large monuments featuring reclaimed limestone from the renovation of the Coughlin Campanile in 2001. These monuments feature brass plaques purchased by hundreds of alumni and friends to support the project and leave their mark on SDSU for generations to come. There are a limited number of plaques still available.Â
The program also paid tribute to the individuals honored with named spaces within the new Alumni Center. Woster Celebration Hall is named after Jim and Penny Woster, and the second floor meeting space is named the Jensen-Smith Board Room in honor of Keith Jensen and V.J. Smith.
After the dedication program, guests enjoyed J. Lohr wine and Wooden Legs beer as they reminisced and toured the Alumni Center. They were also invited by Barry and Jane Dunn to tour the new President’s Home.
As the sun set for the evening, students made their way toward the Alumni Green to share in the festivities and attention was again turned across the street to the historic campus green. As images began to appear on the campanile, the crowd reacted enthusiastically as the SDSU Concert Choir made its way from Lincoln Music Hall to perform at the base as video and photographs of SDSU history were projected on two sides of the iconic structure. To see video of this historic experience visit: www.statealum.com/alumnigreendedicationgallery.
The new Alumni Center is a celebration of our past and our future here at SDSU. Dedication day has seemed like a distant dream, a countdown crisis, and now, an almost unbelievable reality. In this space, we will celebrate our best and our brightest. We will showcase our past in an effort to attract our future. And we will do it from the best view on campus.
