Campaign Overview
Emory & Henry, which has had a proud legacy of changing lives for nearly two centuries, is preparing for life-changing performances, both on stage and on the playing field. And as it helps students prepare for life's performances, Emory & Henry is setting the stage for its own future.
This effort began in July with the announcement of a campaign to raise money for the construction and improvement of two "stages" on which E&H students perform most visibly - a $17 million facility for the arts and a $5.5 million enhancement to the College football stadium. This campaign, known as "Prelude to Performance," seeks the resources to showcase student talents, enhance the student experience, reach out to the community, and build support for even greater growth at the College.
"Emory & Henry is a treasure," said President Reichard. "I hear that again and again from alumni, friends of the College and people in the community. This campaign is about putting that treasure on display and reminding these people in a more visible way of the many ways that their College is changing lives for students. "
The new Emory & Henry Center for the Arts will consist of 40,000 square feet of space for a 450-seat theater, a proscenium stage, a fly system for scene changes, a 150-seat Black Box theater, dressing rooms, production areas, gallery space, and a three-dimensional design studio. Reflecting architectural elements of the Georgian style that prevails on the historic E&H campus, the design for the two-story brick facility calls for an expansive columned portico, large windows and broad staircases. The facility also features handicap accessibility.
The enhanced football stadium will be named the "Fred Selfe Memorial Athletic Stadium," in honor of a beloved former athletic director. The stadium improvements will include artificial turf for Fullerton Field, making it available for soccer competitions, intramural sports and baseball practices; a new field house that will include locker rooms, meeting rooms and offices; upgrades to home and visitor seats; lighting for night play; a new press box and ticket booth; a brick wall to enclose the field; and a decorative fence to surround the stadium.
Woodrow W. McGlothlin Center for the Arts
In 1997, Emory & Henry created the Division of Visual and Performing Arts, which brought together existing programs in theatre, music and the visual arts. While pulling these programs under the same division, Emory & Henry also enhanced them to provide a greater number of degrees and to create more opportunities for learning and performance. Since then, the number of offerings and students in each of the departments has grown. The Music Department offers majors in church music, performance and music education. The Theatre Department boasts some 55 majors producing a wide variety of quality performances each year. The Art Department has increased in faculty members and students, while offering courses in digital art as well as painting and three-dimensional design.
However, our current center is limited in seating, lighting, sound, set construction and handicap accessibility. Even the strongest academic program cannot compensate for these limitations. Without first-class facilities to allow more professional experiences, prospective students turn to other schools.
The Woodrow W. McGlothlin Center for the Arts will lead to increased enrollment, better retention, new revenue, stronger learning opportunities, greater Lyceum curriculum offerings, and increased visibility and marketability for E&H.
Fred Selfe Athletic Stadium
Athletics has been part of life at E&H since the first students arrived in 1838. Thomas "Bingo" Fullerton, hired as athletic director in 1914, is credited with establishing a program that reflects the ideals of athletics at a liberal arts institution.
Coaches like Fred Selfe continued the tradition of a talented, dedicated staff whose impact follows students throughout their lives.
About 35 percent of our student body plays on 14 varsity teams. Most of these teams will benefit directly or indirectly from the Fred Selfe Athletic Stadium.
In short, an upgrade of the stadium will allow far more athletes - and the student body as a whole - to have access to a quality surface, which positively affects student recruitment and retention. We need top-rated facilities that match our exceptional student athletes.
