Southern Vermont College (SVC) has announced a pledge of $1.35 million from the James H. and Irene M. Hunter Charitable Trust as the lead gift to support the construction of a new Center for Student Success and Wellness. The pledge includes a gift of $1 million and a $350,000 challenge grant to match additional gifts of $.50 to the dollar up to $700,000. SVC has begun a fundraising campaign to fully fund the construction costs of the building and will announce a groundbreaking ceremony when targets have been met.
“The Hunter Trust has been a wonderful supporter of SVC for years,” said SVC President Dr. David R. Evans. We are particularly grateful to James and Irene Hunter’s daughter, Susie Hunter, who sits on our board of trustees, for her stalwart and generous advocacy for SVC’s needs.”
The planned Center for Student Success and Wellness, developed in collaboration with the Bennington architectural firm Centerline Architects and located near the southwest entrance to the Mountaineer Athletic Center (MAC) parking lot, includes a total area of about 5,000 square feet. It features office and support space for student health and counseling, student affairs offices, and offices and resource areas for career and internship staff and student support, informal gathering space, and a state-of-the-art multi-purpose meeting room. In addition, the Center will include a showcase exercise facility dedicated to serving students who are not in-season varsity athletes.
“This exercise space is by far the most common campus improvement students request,” said Evans,“ as our weight room in the MAC is always busy with team activities and individual athletes’ workouts, and is not especially suitable to other fitness purposes. The space, as conceived in our initial planning, will take great advantage of the beautiful view across the valley, and will provide a comfortable and welcoming facility for all members of the SVC community.”