Ceremony Being Held in Conjunction with Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend
After two decades on the wish list, several years in planning and 24 months under construction, the fully renovated and expanded Center for the Sciences and Agriculture was open for business when Wilmington College students arrived in late August.
The College will officially christen the $14 million facility as its newest jewel in the crown at a public, grand opening celebration Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. The event will be held on the campus mall side of the Center, which is located at the corner of College and Elm streets.
The grand opening is among the featured activities being held during the College’s Homecoming/Alumni Reunion Weekend. Also, food trucks will be on hand and a country concert featuring Tana Matz will be held at the grand opening site just prior to the ceremony.
The former Kettering Science Hall served Wilmington College students well since opening in 1960, but its aging infrastructure and the recent influx of students in agriculture and the sciences brought about a need for a renovation and expansion. A $19.7 million, low-interest loan payable over 32 years, provided by the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Rural Development division, made the project possible.
Also, to date fundraising efforts have eclipsed the $7 million goal with nearly $8.5 million secured in gifts and pledges.
The Center for the Sciences includes the renovated 34,000 square-foot Kettering Science Hall and a 13,500 square-foot addition. The facility hosts 10 classrooms, 10 laboratories, three research labs, two 100-seat lecture halls and 30 offices. The CSA, which was designed for LEED certification as an environmentally friendly facility, is the College’s largest academic building.
