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Armstrong Student Center: Final beam raised, progress praised

10/23/2012

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The final steel beam raised during the

photo: Jeff Sabo

The final steel beam for Miami University’s new Armstrong Student Center rose surely and steadily during a "topping off" ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 23, marked by a "picture perfect" fall day.

Construction paused as the last steel beam to be set in place, painted white as tradition requires and signed by members of the Miami community, was raised.

Center construction is halfway complete, with an opening set for January 2014.

Headlining the attendees was Mike Armstrong (Miami ’61) who, along with his wife Anne (Miami ’61), made the $15 million leadership gift to name and build the Armstrong Student Center.

“What do you and I think of when you think of a steel beam? We think of strength, we think of sustainability, support,” Armstrong said during the ceremony. “And may I offer, this is very symbolic in terms of that the strength is embedded, that this is going to be a place where we come together to learn, come together to team up, come together to grow up, to come together to just plain have some fun. This is symbolic that this is going to sustain the values of this university, the culture that we are so proud to be a part of, the collaboration among all of us and this great faculty. And so symbolic of the support that flows from faculty and from the many people that contributed to make this happen today.”

Armstrong is a member of the Miami board of trustees and a former CEO of IBM, Hughes Electronics and AT&T. Also speaking during the brief program were President David Hodge, Associated Student Government President John Stefanski, class of 2013, and John Seibert, project manager, who announced that the construction project is on time and on budget, an announcement that was well-received.

Students sign the steel beam before it is hoisted in place on the Armstrong Student Center.

photo: Scott Kissell

Hodge called the center a metaphor of what each Miamian contributes to the history of Miami: “Weave the story of thy glory.”

“When we talk about old Miami, new Miami, this is what we talk about — all of us together weaving the past, the present and the future,” Hodge said. “This is a building that is all about the students. A student board will run it, determine priorities and have the impact of making sure that it does everything it can for our students.”

Hodge introduced Katie Wilson as the new director of the Armstrong Student Center, who will oversee the building while working with the student board. Wilson joined Miami in 2009 as the senior director of student engagement. She supervised the staff, budget and services of the office of student activities and leadership and the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

The Armstrong Student Center is considered the future of the Miami Experience, offering students the opportunity to come together in one place to blend their academic, social and co-curricular lives. It has been supported by nearly 10,000 alumni, friends and students who have contributed more than $31 million.

Stefanski said when touring the site recently, “The six-year-old in me was excited to be walking around on a construction site, but the Miamian in me was ecstatic at the infinite possibilities that this building has of improving and impacting the Miami experience for generations of Miamians to come.”