FROM STAFF REPORTS

MONTEVALLO–The University of Montevallo will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking for Strong Hall on Wednesday, April 27 at 4:30 p.m.

Strong Hall consists of new construction and an expansion to the existing Mass Communication building on the University campus. This new facility will bring together the communication studies and mass communication faculty and students in the Department of Communication.

John Paul Strong, a 2002 UM graduate and his father, Mike Strong, a 1972 UM graduate, realized the needs of the Department of Communication were quickly outgrowing the existing facility due to the rapidly increasing enrollment of communication majors.

The Strongs’ donation enables the Department of Communication to provide students with expanded classroom experiences in a unified space.

The expansion and renovation will include a new master control room, audio, video production and edit bay rooms, a new broadcast studio, two computer labs, additional classroom space and faculty offices.

The University has recently announced the public phase of their first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, “The Campaign for the Montevallo: It’s About Family.” A main priority of the multi-million fundraising campaignis to develop facilities for learning, living and competing.

Strong Hall is an important campaign project that will support new and upgraded facilities for students and faculty.

John Paul and Mike are also serving as national co-chairs for the campaign and have provided vital leadership during the previous planning phase.

“Our company’s growth and accomplishments over the years can be attributed to the education and support we received during our time at the University of Montevallo,” John Paul said. “That’s why we’ve decided to make a personal donation to the Department of Communication and become active in the University’s fundraising efforts.”

Individual spaces in Strong Hall have been named by the following donors: Beth Chapman, John and Laura Fleming, David and Diane Wheeler and Amos Snead.

For more information on the groundbreaking, contact Dianne Kyzer at 665-6215.