Ithaca College

Construction on Ithaca College's new athletics and events center was formally kicked off on Tuesday, June 16. Members of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees and the Athletics and Events Center National Committee, donors, coaches, student-athletes, and staff and faculty gathered near the future site of the center for the groundbreaking ceremony. Another 100 guests who couldn't attend in person were invited to watch the event via a live webcast.

President Tom Rochon and Mike Serventi '72, chair of the A&E Center National Committee, thanked those responsible for helping make the long-planned project a reality. Also delivering remarks were trustee Caroleen Feeney '86 -- via cell phone -- and head coaches Paula Miller (women's swimming and diving) and George Valesente '66, M.S. '75 (baseball).

Turning a ceremonial shovel of dirt were, from left to right in the photo, Mark Dicker ’77, member of the A&E Center National Committee and Alumni Association Board of Directors; Mike Serventi; President Rochon; Ken Kutler, director of intercollegiate athletics; Shelley Semmler, vice president for institutional advancement; Carl Sgrecci, vice president for finance and administration; and Brian McAree, vice president for student affairs and campus life.

More than 2,600 individual donors helped the college successfully meet the $52.5 million fund-raising goal for the A&E center, which will include a 130,000-square-foot field house, outdoor stadium with lighted turf field, 35,000-square-foot aquatics pavilion, and outdoor tennis facility with six courts. Designed by Moody-Nolan, Inc., the center should be ready for use by fall 2011.