John and Dede Howard of St. Joseph, Michigan.
The largest single contribution ever received by Andrews University in its 127-year history will facilitate the building of a campus performing arts center, say university administrators.
University president Niels-Erik Andreasen made the announcement at a February 12 press conference, saying that the generous gift from John and Dede Howard of St. Joseph, Michigan, will allow Andrews University to build on its longstanding commitment to excellence in music and the fine arts.
The gift includes funds for a substantial portion of the construction of the performing arts building, which will cost an estimated $11 to $13 million, as well as an endowment for maintenance of the facility. At the request of the donors, the specific amount of the gift was not released.
“We are delighted with this partnership between Andrews University and the Howard family,” said Andreasen at the press conference. “Andrews University has always been committed to musical presentations of the highest quality in keeping with the cultural, ethical and spiritual values of the university. We are excited about the opportunity to further enrich the Southwest Michigan community by providing a venue for musical presentations that are consistent with these principles.”
The center will be located at the front of Andrews’ 1,600 acre campus, across from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Although plans for the building are not finalized, Andreasen indicated that the center will include an “acoustically superior concert hall that would seat 600 to 800 people and provide performance space for 100 to150 musicians.” According to a proposed schedule, construction is slated to begin in the spring of 2002.
With an enrollment of some 3,000 students from more than 80 countries, Andrews University encompasses five schools including technology, business, education, and the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. Its current department of music offers bachelors and masters degrees in music and supports various choral groups, a wind symphony and a university orchestra.