$1.73 million ATU-Ozark Vest Student Union formally opened
by September 2, 2010 8:56 am 73 views
More than 300 attended the recent unveiling ceremony for the Alvin F. Vest Student Union at the Arkansas Tech University-Ozark campus.
The $1.73 million facility includes a bookstore, library, food area with coffee shop and a computer lab.
During the ceremony the Alvin F. Vest family was honored and memorialized for his contributions. Vest was the first director of what was then Arkansas Valley Vocational Technical School. The renovation project, which was shared with the community, retains the name of the first director. It builds on the student-centered legacy Vest developed beginning in 1962, according to an ATU-Ozark statement.
Vest, in collaboration with the Ozark Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the County Development Education Committee, began the preliminary work to site a new vocational school in Ozark. Vest worked with the community and business leaders to make the location of this school a reality, and continued his involvement through his 20 years of service to the institution that would become ATU-Ozark Campus.
“Though we have seen some changes since Mr. Vest’s time, we have built upon the technical education blueprint he provided the people of Ozark. His collaborative spirit and genuine concern for the economic impact of our region is still evident,” Dr. Jo Alice Blondin, chancellor of ATU-Ozark campus, said in the statement.
The administration, staff, faculty and student leadership at the Ozark campus of Arkansas Tech University have been focused on continuing a strategic plan began in fall 2008 that has helped push more than $4.7 million in campus improvements.
The new student services and conference center was a $2.7 million addition to the campus, and the Vest Student Union renovations are budgeted at $1.7 million.
The planning and additions of programs and facilities are also driven by a growth in enrollment. Spring enrollment at the Ozark campus reached 1,213, an impressive increase of 53.3% compared to spring 2009 — and the spring 2008 enrollment of 791 was up 18% over the spring 2007 number.