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Breaking ground for the new Herring Center are
from (left to right) Rod Smolla, Brad Bechtold,
Robert Howell, Sarah Herring and Gordon Herring.
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GREENVILLE, S.C.—Furman University held a groundbreaking ceremony on campus Thursday, Aug. 25 for its newest building, the Herring Center for Lifelong Learning.
The 10 a.m. ceremony took place at the future site of the building, which will be located next to the Younts Conference Center and across from Timmons Arena.
Construction is scheduled to begin in September and be completed by August 2012.
The $6.4 million, 23,000-square-foot Herring Center for Lifelong Learning will house Furman’s Division of Continuing Education, including offices of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), Bridges to a Brighter Future, Center for Corporate and Professional Development, Learning for You, and Undergraduate Evening Studies. It will also provide classroom space for these programs.
The naming gift for the Center was provided by Furman graduates Sarah and Gordon Herring of Greenville, who have been generous and longtime donors of the university. Other major donors include local foundations, alumni and friends. OLLI members were the driving force behind the effort and make up the majority of the donors.
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Artist's rendering of the Herring Center
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“This new building, with its emphasis on providing educational opportunities for the community, represents the core of Furman’s values and its educational system,” said university president Rod Smolla. “Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and any great university must be deeply connected to the community that surrounds it.”
The groundbreaking ceremony included remarks by Smolla, Herring, Continuing Education director Brad Bechtold, and OLLI at Furman president Robert Howell.
For more information, contact Furman’s News and Media Relations office at 864-294-3107.