|
EKU Ground-Breaking
Dr. Thompson gave the invocation at the ground-breaking ceremony for the EKU Manchester Center in Manchester, KY on Wednesday, October 17, 2007:
Dr. Thompson (fifth from the left) participates in the ground-breaking ceremony
| As he prepared to give the invocation at groundbreaking ceremonies for Eastern Kentucky University’s new Manchester Postsecondary Education Center, Dr. Aaron Thompson surveyed the scene, looked out at many familiar faces and felt the emotions swell inside. |
Approximately 250 townspeople and University representatives joined Gov. Ernie Fletcher and others Wednesday, Oct. 17, at what will be the home of the new Center, at 933 S. US Highway 421, approximately a half-mile north of the Hal Rogers Parkway.
Referring to the Clay County High School Chorus, which sang the national anthem and “My Old Kentucky Home,” Governor Fletcher said: “We want to make sure (these young people) are able to reach their full potential here. (The Center) will bring so much return on our investment we can’t imagine.”
The $12.5 million, 48,636-square-foot facility, designed by Murphy + Graves Architects, is being constructed by McKnight and Associates of London. Since 1992, EKU-Manchester has been housed in the Manchester Square Shopping Center.
More than 90 classes are offered each semester to more than 300 students, but both those numbers are expected to grow after the new facility opens in early Spring 2009.
“This is truly a great day for Clay County, Manchester, EKU, the Eastern Kentucky region and the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said EKU President Doug Whitlock. “Everyone with whom we’ve worked has shown constant support and encouragement for this project.”
Whitlock cited, in particular, the vision of State Sen. Robert Stivers, before adding: “You haven’t seen anything yet. Students will fill this facility, and it will go a long way toward helping the state meet its (educational attainment) goals. We’re just proud to be a part of it.”
Stivers talked of “torches” that kept the fire of enthusiasm for the project going among Clay County officials and community and University leaders. “When you bring all these torches together, it has created a light of hope that we in Manchester and Clay County can do so much better and have so much to offer.”
Other speakers included State Rep. Tim Couch and Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Richie Farmer, also a Clay County native. Terry Gray, director of the EKU-Manchester Campus, served as master of ceremonies.
|
© 2006 - 2008 RIPPLE EFFECTS RESOURCES |
design: zabu maintained by SquareDog Web Solutions |