USI Board of Trustees "roll out the welcome mat" for new Fuquay Welcome Center

The University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees marked the opening of the Fuquay Welcome Center and its Old National Bank Foundation Atrium on campus Thursday, November 1 during a public ceremony and open house. The event, which featured remarks from Dr. Ronald Rochon, USI president and representatives from USI Student Ambassadors, included the unveiling of a welcome mat for all future students that will be placed at the entrance of the new building.

The Fuquay Welcome Center will serve as the official front door for the University, and will be a gathering and tour starting point for prospective students and their families as well as University visitors, alumni and friends. Annually, volunteer Student Ambassadors donate more than 3,000 hours providing tours to more than 7,000 visitors to campus. This new building offers space for Undergraduate Admissions to better provide opportunities for both potential students, their families, and all other guests to experience the USI campus in person.

The space consists of formal and informal meeting and gathering areas for visitors, a large presentation space with seating for up to 100 people and Undergraduate Admissions offices. Garage doors integrated into the building design allow for the space to be opened up or segmented for more intimate gatherings. The building also features an innovative green roof, landscaped with pathways and plazas, which serves as an extension of the existing topography and allows pedestrians to use it as a learning and gathering space.

Use of the Welcome Center began this fall with the first groups coming through the building in September. The center was made possible through the generous leadership gifts to Campaign USI: Elevating Excellence from longtime University friends Dan and Janet Fuquay and Old National Bank.

In regular business conducted prior to the ceremony, the Board of Trustees approved the conferral of master, baccalaureate, and associate degrees for the 2018 Fall Commencement Ceremonies, to be held on Saturday, December 8 in the Physical Activities Center.

The commencement speaker for the College of Nursing and Health Professions and Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education ceremony will be Dr. Glenna Bower, associate dean of the Pott College and 2018 recipient of the Distinguished Professor Award. The commencement speaker for the College of Liberal Arts and Romain College of Business ceremony will be Xavia Harrington-Chate, instructor in English and 2018 recipient of the H. Lee Cooper Core Curriculum Award.

In other business, the Board of Trustees approved the sale of three properties in New Harmony and heard updates on student financial assistance, insurance renewals and campus construction projects.