By Melissa Skinner
The Paw Print
On Thursday, August 25 faculty, students, and alumni alike gathered in the north part of campus to celebrate the completion of a dream.
The dream began on the Day of Reflection in 2007 when students told faculty they would like to see an upgrade in student housing. In 2009, ground was broken for the North Campus Transformation, which would upgrade existing student housing facilities as well as several of the classroom buildings; improve the landscaping; add parking spots; create new athletic fields; and build a new stadium which includes new housing for students, a restaurant, and a store.
The celebration began at 4 p.m. in the North Campus Green with a “Welcome Back” luau dinner. Tours, games, and live music were offered to those in attendance. Molly Roberts, who attended the event with her parents and two young children, said of the evening, “We thought it was great! Good food, good music.” The ASC student ambassadors were offering tours of the entire new North Campus. Kirsten Shumaker estimated that she and her fellow ambassadors gave about 50 people tours just that afternoon. The student ambassadors give campus tours every day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Most of the new Residences at Rex houses, 18 four-bedroom apartments, have fantastic views of the surrounding mountains as well as Rex Stadium. The Stadium is now home to a new ticket box office, visiting team locker rooms, and seating for 3,000 Grizzly fans. Vistas, a counter-service restaurant, operates on the third floor of Rex Stadium and offers a variety of options, ranging from pizza slices to steak. Vistas also serves, for the first time on campus, beer and wine. Menu items are affordable and the restaurant overlooks the field, offering a great game-day venue. Vistas is open Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday from 4 to 10 p.m. (12 p.m. on game days). Also in the stadium is a small retail boutique offering many great Grizzly paraphernalia. “The Clawset” will be open during the ASC home football games. Both Vistas and The Clawset are staffed by students who are part of the work study program.
Former ASC student/football player Jason McFarland said the renovation was greatly needed and will help to draw more prospects not just for the football team, but the entire school in general. Charlotte Bobicki, alumni/local business owner/SLV representative for Senator Michael Bennet, says the facelift makes the campus much more appealing. “All the construction over the past few years has made it a great college”. Bobicki also talked about the school’s proposed change to university status saying, “It’s going to happen…it won’t change the college any but may make it more enticing to students for them to be able to say they are attending a university. Regardless, it’s a great academic institution.”
Spectators watch the Grand Opening of the newly completed Rex Stadium
At 6:15 p.m., the Adams State Drum Line invited luau attendees to join them for the ribbon cutting ceremony. President Dr. David Svaldi introduced key note speakers for the event, including Tim Walters and Robyn Pryor. Walters, a member of the ASC Board of Trustees, noted how important this transformation was not only for the ASC community, but for the entire community of Alamosa. Pryor, former president of AS&F and current master’s program student, said that the transformation was a result of the board listening to what the students wanted. Dr. Richard Baker unveiled the time capsule which will be opened in 2051. The time capsule includes books, magazines, DVDs, an MP3 player with popular music, local restaurant menus, current phone book, a laser pointer, and several other items that will be interesting to the folks who open the capsule. Mayor Kathy Rogers and Dr. Svaldi cut the ribbon to make official the grand opening of the North Campus.
The evening commenced in the stadium field with the popular, semi-local band, Martini Shot. Two of the members of the band are alumni of Adams State and the group, as always, put on a great and lively show.
What’s Been Said…