WAVE Magazine 2018 | Page 27

THE A F U F T U U T R U E R " S E S O BRIGHT TERRY CONCERT HALL FRISCH WELCOME CENTER 5 ASPIRE INVESTMENT PROJECTS T H AT S H O W U S T H E F U T U R E O F J U W ELC OMIN G FAC ILIT IES Whether through academic conferences, campus-wide community service projects, world-class fine art performances, energizing athletic events, speaker series, class reunions, or campus tours, Jacksonville University has never been more accessible. During the 2017-2018 academic year alone, the University welcomed more than 10,000 visitors and guests from across the country and around the world. To further the effort to accommodate these guests, the University has broken ground on the new Frisch Welcome Center made possible by a generous donation from the Frisch family. The centrally-located new facility will feature the Kinne Welcome Gallery, made possible through the generosity and vision of Chancellor Emerita, Dr. Frances Bartlett Kinne. The Center will be a home for the admissions team and serve as a distinctive gateway into Jacksonville University. The single-story, 11,750 sq. ft. building will be located between the Gooding and Howard Administration buildings and is scheduled to open Spring 2019. In addition, ASPIRE has powered renovations of spaces allowing JU students not only to compete with universities nationally but also to share their talent with the community and the world. One major upgrade was to Terry Concert Hall, which now features an expanded, more versatile stage, a custom glass sculpture by Professor Brian Frus and his students, finely tuned acoustics, and premium lighting—all made possible through ASPIRE, the EPIC program, and a generous investment by Mary Virginia Terry, Trustee Emerita. “I can’t think of a single decision we've made in the past several years where we’ve thought ‘that’s just for us,’” said President Cost. “The idea is to turn this campus inside out, make ourselves more open and accessible. If you go through the arts, the sciences, athletics, new technologies—all that is about opening ourselves up to the community ... it's enriching in all directions.” WAVEMAGAZINEONLINE.COM 27