DANA COLLEGE TO BREAK GROUND ON $5-MILLION
FACILITY EXPANSION, AUG. 27
Improving Borup Coliseum is
lifelong pursuit of President Christopherson
Dana College, in Blair, Neb., will host a public groundbreaking
for a new $5-million expansion project to Borup Coliseum on Aug.
27. The groundbreaking will follow Opening Convocation at 9 a.m.,
and continue Dana College President Dr. Myrvin Christopherson’s
42-year effort to improve the facility.
When completed, the expansion will add two practice
courts, one competition court, classrooms, offices and a walking
track to Borup’s existing competition court, indoor swimming
pool, newly remodeled weight room, athletic offices and classrooms.
Dana’s 13 athletic teams and the intramural
program, altogether involving more than 65 percent of Dana students,
use the facility. Dana is committed to providing opportunities for
students to learn to become community leaders, and supporting Viking
athletics is a major way of providing those opportunities, Christopherson
said.
“This expansion is sorely needed to serve the
multiple number of athletic teams we have,” Christopherson
said. “We hope to have this project completed in one year
so our scholar athletes will have use of the facility in 2003.”
Christopherson’s relationship with Borup Coliseum
has been a long one. When the facility was initially being planned
in 1960, administrators had decided to not include a pool within
the facility. Christopherson, the Dana student body president at
the time, wasn’t satisfied with the choice. He organized and
led a student-based drive to raise money for the inclusion of a
pool. The effort was successful, and Borup Coliseum became a first-rate
athletic facility.
In the early ’60s, though, Dana had just six
athletic teams (the golf team consisted of three players). As Dana
grew and interest in athletics increased, Borup became a tight fit.
So Christopherson returned to the past and started raising funds
once again for Borup.
An initial phase of remodeling was completed in the
spring of 2001. Students have already gotten used to the “new”
old Borup, but are looking forward to an all-new section.
“The changes in Borup will help bring more school
spirit to the Vikings,” Dana senior Toni Ahrendt said. “I
believe a burst of energy will enter every student when they see
an expanded Borup. I also think that it will help to draw in more
students, those who play or enjoy sports of all kinds.”
RDG Schutte Wilscam Birge of Omaha are the architects
and construction will be done by Weitz Co. of Omaha. Funding for
the project was raised by Dana’s Legacy Campaign, with primary
donations from the Hawks Foundation, the Gardner Foundation and
the Peter Kiewit Foundation.
Dana College is a private, liberal arts institution
that currently enrolls approximately 600 students. The campus is
located on 150 acres overlooking the Missouri River Valley in Blair,
Neb. Dana grants bachelor’s degrees in more than 20 liberal
arts, business, education and pre-professional programs. Dana is
affiliated with the Nebraska Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, and its athletic teams compete in the Great Plains Athletic
Conference.
Additional information is available on the Dana College
web site, www.dana.edu.
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Contact:
Sarah Cavanah
Communications Coordinator
Dana College
(402) 426-7216
scavanah@fs1.dana.edu
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