Indiana University Holds Official Groundbreaking for IU Athletics Excellence Academy
4/28/2017 4:08:00 PM | Varsity Club
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University held the official groundbreaking ceremony for the IU Excellence Academy that will be housed within the enclosure of the south end of Memorial Stadium. The event took place on Friday afternoon inside the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center as construction for the new facility is currently underway.
IU President Michael A. McRobbie presided over the ceremony. Others making remarks at the event included Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, Senior Associate Athletic Director Mattie White as well as students Sarah L'Hommedieu (Women's Soccer) and Rashard Fant (Football).
The Excellence Academy building will provide a home for and thereby enhance the Excellence Academy program which, as set forth below in more detail, is one of the most innovative and effective personal development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics. The $53 million, 66,575 square foot facility will enclose the south end zone at Memorial Stadium and create a bold new "front door" to campus for Memorial Stadium and more generally the Athletics campus. The Excellence Academy will open in the summer of 2018.
"The IU Excellence Academy integrates all of the resources of the IU Athletics Department—in addition to the cutting-edge resources of a number of IU's schools—to ensure that IU student-athletes achieve their academic, athletic, and personal development goals," said McRobbie.
"I am thrilled that this day has come," said Glass. "The Excellence Academy building will set in concrete, literally and figuratively, Indiana University's commitment to the health and wellness and holistic personal development of its students who participate in intercollegiate athletics."
(4/28/2017) IU Excellence Academy Renderings
The second level is where the Tobias Nutrition Center will reside. This will be home to one of the premier nutrition facilities and dining spaces in all of college athletics.
In addition, the Excellence Academy will complete the "Circle of Excellence" in Memorial Stadium complementing the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center and the Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center. The Excellence Academy will also include a multi-purpose ceiling terrace and a prominent entry plaza with green space. The project will also provide for renovations to the football locker room.
"Words are important and I find that the word "groundbreaking" is not only fitting for today's activity and celebration, but it is also descriptive of our efforts related to the Excellence Academy," said White. "Groundbreaking is defined as innovative, pioneering, fresh, and unprecedented. Those words are how I would characterize our approach to developing the entire student who participates in intercollegiate athletics at IU."
"As athletes we are always very grateful and excited when IU and those close to IU donate to the athletic program for us to have the most advanced, current, and best educational, medical, and athletic resources and facilities," said Fant. "That support allows us to not only be able to perform to our highest ability athletically, but more importantly it allows us as athletes to find opportunities outside of our athletics and be able to perform to our highest ability in the classroom and workforce."
"As athletes we have a gift. Our athletic ability gives us a stage -- a platform from which we are able reach out to others and to affect positive change to a greater level," said L'Hommedieu. "The Excellence Academy has been here to give us the space and support to learn and grow so that we can use platform."
About the IU Excellence Academy
The Excellence Academy is one of the most innovative and effective personal development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics. It focuses on the holistic development of the entire person to provide students an exceptional college experience in addition to athletics that will prepare them for an outstanding life experience after athletics. The Excellence Academy complements IU's world class academic support and athletic performance services to provide comprehensive personal development programs in four major areas to help prepare young men and women for great lives and success after college: leadership and life skills; health and wellness; service learning; and career development. The Excellence Academy helps to teach students how to impact lives, starting with their own, and change the world.
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
IU President Michael A. McRobbie presided over the ceremony. Others making remarks at the event included Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, Senior Associate Athletic Director Mattie White as well as students Sarah L'Hommedieu (Women's Soccer) and Rashard Fant (Football).
The Excellence Academy building will provide a home for and thereby enhance the Excellence Academy program which, as set forth below in more detail, is one of the most innovative and effective personal development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics. The $53 million, 66,575 square foot facility will enclose the south end zone at Memorial Stadium and create a bold new "front door" to campus for Memorial Stadium and more generally the Athletics campus. The Excellence Academy will open in the summer of 2018.
"The IU Excellence Academy integrates all of the resources of the IU Athletics Department—in addition to the cutting-edge resources of a number of IU's schools—to ensure that IU student-athletes achieve their academic, athletic, and personal development goals," said McRobbie.
"I am thrilled that this day has come," said Glass. "The Excellence Academy building will set in concrete, literally and figuratively, Indiana University's commitment to the health and wellness and holistic personal development of its students who participate in intercollegiate athletics."
The second level is where the Tobias Nutrition Center will reside. This will be home to one of the premier nutrition facilities and dining spaces in all of college athletics.
In addition, the Excellence Academy will complete the "Circle of Excellence" in Memorial Stadium complementing the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center and the Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center. The Excellence Academy will also include a multi-purpose ceiling terrace and a prominent entry plaza with green space. The project will also provide for renovations to the football locker room.
"Words are important and I find that the word "groundbreaking" is not only fitting for today's activity and celebration, but it is also descriptive of our efforts related to the Excellence Academy," said White. "Groundbreaking is defined as innovative, pioneering, fresh, and unprecedented. Those words are how I would characterize our approach to developing the entire student who participates in intercollegiate athletics at IU."
"As athletes we are always very grateful and excited when IU and those close to IU donate to the athletic program for us to have the most advanced, current, and best educational, medical, and athletic resources and facilities," said Fant. "That support allows us to not only be able to perform to our highest ability athletically, but more importantly it allows us as athletes to find opportunities outside of our athletics and be able to perform to our highest ability in the classroom and workforce."
"As athletes we have a gift. Our athletic ability gives us a stage -- a platform from which we are able reach out to others and to affect positive change to a greater level," said L'Hommedieu. "The Excellence Academy has been here to give us the space and support to learn and grow so that we can use platform."
About the IU Excellence Academy
The Excellence Academy is one of the most innovative and effective personal development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics. It focuses on the holistic development of the entire person to provide students an exceptional college experience in addition to athletics that will prepare them for an outstanding life experience after athletics. The Excellence Academy complements IU's world class academic support and athletic performance services to provide comprehensive personal development programs in four major areas to help prepare young men and women for great lives and success after college: leadership and life skills; health and wellness; service learning; and career development. The Excellence Academy helps to teach students how to impact lives, starting with their own, and change the world.
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
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