After receiving $55 million from three donors – including its largest gift ever – Abilene Christian University embarked on an initiative that transformed the campus in a way not seen for 50 years.
Together, the gifts make possible with additional fundraising five new facilities:
1. Robert R. and Kay Onstead Science Center, a transformation of the 85,000-square-foot Foster Science Building to include classrooms, labs and offices for the engineering and physics, mathematics, and agricultural and environmental sciences departments. The front half of Onstead was completed in November 2015, with the remainder of the facility scheduled for completion in August 2018.
2. Halbert-Walling Research Center, a 54,000-square-foot building for science labs, classrooms and offices located between Phillips Education Building and Nelson Hall. Halbert-Walling opened for classes in January 2017.
3. Engineering and Physics Laboratories at Bennett Gymnasium, providing classroom, laboratory and office space for the fast-growing department. The new Bennett was opened for classes in August 2015.
4. Wildcat Stadium, an 8,500-seat football facility, with room for up to 12,000 total fans, the first on campus since 1942. Its playing surface is called Anthony Field. Wildcat Stadium’s first game was Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017.
5. A new Elmer Gray Stadium, a combined facility for the university’s successful women’s soccer program and legendary track and field program that seats 1,000 fans. The new Elmer Gray was dedicated in April 2015.