April 28, 2008

Simpson College President John Byrd announced today that the college has received an anonymous $1 million gift for the college’s future Campus Center.

“We are incredibly grateful for this gift,” Byrd said. “The new Campus Center will be a place for students to gather to continue discussions from their courses, meet with their extracurricular organizations, grab a bite to eat or relax. As the college continues to grow, the Campus Center will be a valuable addition for the student body and the entire campus community.”

The gift brings Simpson’s fund-raising total for the project to more than $9 million. The project is estimated to cost $21 million, and the college plans to begin construction in 2010.

“We are thankful that this donor and many others care so deeply about the future of Simpson,” said Bob Lane, vice president for college advancement. “This gift gets us one step closer to our goal and continues the recent momentum for the project.”

Earlier this year, the Hubbell family of Des Moines committed $1.75 million toward the project. Frederick and Charlotte Hubbell, along with James Jr. and Helen Hubbell, have a long history of supporting the college.

The facility will include offices for student organizations and student development staff, casual gathering areas, a café and an enhanced dining space. The building will also feature a reception hall with views of Buxton Park, an expanded bookstore, modern facilities for student media and a post office.

The new 50,000-square-foot space, with an additional 18,000 square feet of remodeled cafeteria space, will connect first-year residence halls, Barker and Kresge, and extend the current Pfeiffer Dining Hall and Great Hall to the north toward Buxton Park.