I can’t believe we’re in week four of the semester. It’s great to have the students back, the weather feels more like fall and campus looks beautiful!

One sign of a healthy campus includes building construction and renovations. I’d say we’re looking very healthy these days with construction taking place on the Reynolds Performing Arts Complex and the Smart University Advancement Center, as well as renovations of Blunt Hall, Cheek Hall, Ann Kampeter Health Sciences Hall and the list goes on.

At the end of construction is the celebration of new and renovated buildings. I’m excited we’ll hold two dedication events in September for the additions to Roy Blunt Hall and Kemper Hall. We all felt the disruption that came with the Blunt Hall addition, but now with everything back in place, it feels like it’s always been there. The Kemper Hall addition has been less disruptive, but changed the campus, nonetheless.

Roy Blunt Hall

The 77,000-square-foot addition to Blunt Hall features modern, well-equipped labs, updated lecture halls and outdoor learning spaces. Large windows along the building’s north side allow visitors to see research in action, a design choice that reflects the university’s commitment to showcasing science. Upgraded and modern research facilities have been a long-time dream of Dean Tammy Jahnke for the College of Natural and Applied Sciences and its faculty and students.

As a reminder, the $80 million addition marks the first phase of the larger project that also includes renovations to the original building. We broke ground in December 2022 for the addition and the $41 million phase II renovations to the existing building are on schedule. It was fully funded through a combination of federal and state support. We thank former U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt for championing funding on the federal side and former Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and many, many members of our state legislators for their support for state funding.

The dedication for the Blunt Hall addition will be at 10:15 a.m. this Friday (Sept. 12) and is open to the campus and community.

Kemper Hall

I’m also happy to announce the unveiling of the College of Business’s Construction Education Success Center in Kemper Hall. This project was made possible with funding from the MoExcels Workforce Initiative, as well as private gifts and contributions.

Applying for MoExcels funding requires that a project be “shovel ready.” Our facilities team made sure we were “shovel ready” when the opportunity to apply for the MoExcels funding became available, contributing to the successful award of funding – great work on their part.

The 10,000-square-foot addition and renovation is an industry-focused education space that will benefit Missouri State students and the regional workforce. Experts will provide specialized training, and students will earn credentials that match today’s industry needs. With this expansion, Missouri State can welcome more construction management majors – meeting strong employer demand and resulting in even more projects that are proudly #BuiltBear!

The celebration will take place at 9 a.m. Sept. 29 at the High-Bay Training Lab, Kemper Hall 127.

It’s a busy time of year. I hope you’re able to take time to enjoy some of the many events taking place on campus. Don’t forget, this year’s Public Affairs Conference kicks off next Tuesday.

Thanks for checking in. It’s great to be a Bear!

Biff