Valparaiso University Receives $5 Million Gift for New Welcome Center
Valparaiso University announced on Feb. 14 the planned construction of a new 15,000-square-foot Welcome Center at the U.S. 30 entrance to campus. The Welcome Center will create a front door for the University and will support the needs of prospective students, alumni and all guests visiting campus. It will also house some key historical and modern exhibits as a continuation of University’s story told in Heritage Hall, which was dedicated in April 2010. The funding to build the new center came in part because of a $5 million anonymous gift to the University.
“The Welcome Center will be an important gateway into our University community,” said Mark A. Heckler, president of Valparaiso University. “People visiting our community for the first time will have a chance to get to know us better, and those who already know us can reconnect in new ways. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, our vision for this Welcome Center will soon become a reality.”
Building the Welcome Center is another important milestone for Valparaiso University as it seeks to grow to 6,000 students as part of the University’s Strategic Plan. The Welcome Center is being built in anticipation of a growing University enrollment and to help to foster a greater sense of community for visitors on campus. A groundbreaking ceremony is currently being planned for April 28, with details to follow at a later date.
About Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University is a comprehensive independent Lutheran university with more than 4,000 students on its campus located in Northwest Indiana, an hour from Chicago. Valpo is a community of purpose-driven, service-minded and ethical individuals who embrace the pursuit of truth with freedom, humility and compassion. Valpo has been identified as one of the top master’s-level institutions in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report magazine for the past 22 years. Valparaiso University offers 110 undergraduate academic programs through the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Engineering and Nursing. Valpo also has a distinguished honors college, a School of Law and more than 40 degree and certificate programs in its Graduate School and Continuing Education Division. Valpo has been recognized for its commitment to outstanding teaching, preparing thoughtful leaders with strong cross-cultural skills and global awareness, and dedication to serving others.