On Thursday, October 21st, Transylvania University held a dedication ceremony for the new $30 million William T. Young Campus Center. The ceremony capped off a 3 year effort to transform the campus center and celebrated those who had supported it’s construction, particularly the family of William T. Young Sr., who the campus center is named for.
The ceremony featured speeches by Transylvania University president Brian Lewis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees Norwood Cowgill, William T. Young Jr., the son of the campus center’s namesake, and Student Government Association President and Vice President Lindsey Steffen and Ruben Joseph. Performances by the Transylvania concert band, chamber orchestra and choir were also featured.
President Brian Lewis, comparing the new campus center to both William T. Young Sr. and Jr., stated, “When you drive by or walk around the campus center, the outside is just impressive. And if you look on the outside at what Mr. Young Sr. and Mr. Young Jr. have accomplished in their lifetimes, it is an amazing legacy. But when you go inside the William T. Young Campus Center, you see the attention to detail, quality and practicality: this isn’t just a beautiful space, it is an incredibly functional and well thought out space. So to Mr. Young Sr. and Mr. Young Jr., the outside is really impressive, but it is what is inside which is most remarkable.”
The new campus center is located on the spot that was once the old William T. Young Campus Center, which opened in 1983. The former campus center was also home to Forrer Hall which served most of its time as first year dorms. The beautiful new campus center opened to students at the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester, however, the dedication ceremony was delayed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
