By Michael Freeman, Managing Editor
As Dr. Bob Hunter took the stage at the dedication of the Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center on Saturday afternoon, more than 700 attendees rose to their feet to give him a standing ovation – some of which were already standing.
Most of the chairs in the McCaleb Conference Center were occupied as Dr. Royce Money, president of the university; C.E. “Doc” Cornutt, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Hunter, senior vice president emeritus, praised the efforts of those who built the new 57,000-square-foot facility, thanked the more than 50 donors and honored the people whose names adorn the center and its indoor and outdoor features.
“We had expected maybe when we passed away that we might be remembered for a few of the things we did for others during our lifetimes, but we never dreamed that our names would be on a building on the campus,” Hunter said.
Other features dedicated Saturday was the conference room named after Dr. Gary McCaleb, vice president of the university, and his wife Sylvia; the fountain lake in front of the welcome center named after Dr. A Overton Faubus, professor emeritus of accounting, and the plaza and labyrinth named after Kenneth and Virginia Rich, the parents of Jack Rich, senior vice president and chief investment officer.
“The grand opening and dedication of this new facility is exciting in line of the history of ACU,” Money said. “This is a very special day, but not just because we celebrate the completion of a major capital project, and not just because the campus can now enjoy the addition of a spectacular new building that greets visitors at our front door – a long dream come true, but rather what makes it special today is what this facility represents: the university’s enduring commitment to educate future Christian leaders and to do it in the very best way possible.”
Two other features still being constructed are Galaxy Park, which will be on the east side of the welcome center, and a 70-foot timeline of ACU’s 103-year history, which will be placed inside the welcome center. Despite some of the welcome center’s features not being complete for the dedication, the atmosphere among the attendees was jovial. Attendees visited with one another, savored a light lunch buffet in the welcome center atrium and toured all areas of the facility.
Money, Cornutt and Hunter said they were thankful for how many people attended the dedication and for all of the donations and support for the new building.
“The words ‘thank you’ seem most inadequate when I see the new facility that you have provided to the university,” Cornutt said. “You have paved the way for ACU to build upon its Christian heritage and chart a course for the next generation of students.”
