Posted on Wednesday, September 02, 2009 [1:27 PM]

COLUMBIA, Ky. - Lindsey Wilson College is ending this decade the way it began it - with a record number of resident students and construction on a new residence hall.

On Wednesday morning, the Lindsey Wilson community broke ground on the college's latest residence hall - a four-story building that will house 186 beds. The building will be across from Richardson Hall, LWC's most recent residence hall.

"And here we go again as we celebrate our fifth groundbreaking in the past 16 months - an accomplishment that is unheard of in today's economy," Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. said at Wednesday morning's groundbreaking ceremony.

But as Luckey noted, it's also unheard of for a college to experience a 42 percent increase in new resident students and a 25 percent increase in overall resident enrollment. Lindsey Wilson has more than 860 students living in residence halls this fall. That's an increase of more than 130 students from last year's resident student population of 721. Final enrollment for the 2009-10 school won't be known for a couple more weeks.

"We gather today profoundly grateful for our many blessings and good fortune during difficult times - and with our eyes wide open to the next wave of new students who will be here next fall," Luckey said.

When it is opened for the 2010-11 school year, LWC's new residence hall will cover more than 42,000 square feet, making it the college's largest residence hall. The new residence hall - which will cost about $7 million - will be a little larger than the 42,000-square-foot Jim & Helen Lee Fugitte Science Center.

Richardson Hall - which opened in August 2001 - is 34,000 square feet with 156 beds.

And, just like when Richardson Hall was built almost a decade ago, ground was broken Wednesday morning on the new residence hall because of an explosion in resident students.

The new residence hall will be a "testament to the Lindsey Wilson mission," said LWC Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams.

"In student life, we understand that not all learning takes place in a classroom, and that a very important part of our mission is to provide a living-learning environment for our students," Adams said. "This new residence hall will be a model of 21st-century living. It will represent the remarkable collection of students, faculty and staff, trustees, and alums that make this a very special place in higher learning."

For LWC senior Joshua Newman of Mayville, N.Y., the new residence hall indicates the college's "wonderful, positive direction."

"It's going to be an absolute blessing to have this new dormitory on campus come next year because it symbolizes the growing nature of the school and the bright future of this college," Newman said. 

Newman recalled the major buildings added to LWC's A.P. White Campus during his three years at the college - Fugitte Science Center, Sumner Campus Center, Norma & Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship, and the Doris & Bob Holloway Wellness Center.

"It is crazy that even over the three years I have attended Lindsey Wilson, I have seen this college grow in leaps and bounds," he said. "It is astonishing to look back and realize all this has happened in just three years."

Luckey said the resident-student enrollment boom has been fueled by the college's increased retention rates, as well as the addition of several academic programs, extracurricular programs and intercollegiate sports programs.

All of which led Newman to say the new residence hall is "making room for the future."

"We may be setting the foundation for this new building now, but we are also setting the foundation for this school to grow for the future," he said.Ground is symbolically broken Wednesday morning on Lindsey Wilson College's new four-story, 186-bed residence hall. From left: Dean of Students Chris Schmidt, Assistant Chaplain Aimee Blum, President William T. Luckey Jr., senior Joshua Newman of Mayville, N.Y., and Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams. In the background is Richardson Hall, LWC's most recent residence hall, opened in fall 2001.Ground is symbolically broken Wednesday morning on Lindsey Wilson College's new four-story, 186-bed residence hall. From left: Dean of Students Chris Schmidt, Assistant Chaplain Aimee Blum, President William T. Luckey Jr., senior Joshua Newman of Mayville, N.Y., and Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams. In the background is Richardson Hall, LWC's most recent residence hall, opened in fall 2001.

Ground is symbolically broken Wednesday morning on Lindsey Wilson College's new four-story, 186-bed residence hall. From left: Dean of Students Chris Schmidt, Assistant Chaplain Aimee Blum, President William T. Luckey Jr., senior Joshua Newman of Mayville, N.Y., and Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams. In the background is Richardson Hall, LWC's most recent residence hall, opened in fall 2001.

(Click here to see highlights from the groundbreaking ceremony.)
 

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Lindsey Wilson College is ending this decade the way it began it - with a record number of resident students and construction on a new residence hall.
 

On Wednesday morning, the Lindsey Wilson community broke ground on the college's latest residence hall - a four-story building that will house 186 beds. The building will be across from Richardson Hall, LWC's most recent residence hall.
 

"And here we go again as we celebrate our fifth groundbreaking in the past 16 months - an accomplishment that is unheard of in today's economy," Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. said at Wednesday morning's groundbreaking ceremony.
 

But as Luckey noted, it's also unheard of for a college to experience a 42 percent increase in new resident students and a 25 percent increase in overall resident enrollment. Lindsey Wilson has more than 860 students living in residence halls this fall. That's an increase of more than 130 students from last year's resident student population of 721. Final enrollment for the 2009-10 school won't be known for a couple more weeks.
 

"We gather today profoundly grateful for our many blessings and good fortune during difficult times - and with our eyes wide open to the next wave of new students who will be here next fall," Luckey said.
 

When it is opened for the 2010-11 school year, LWC's new residence hall will cover more than 42,000 square feet, making it the college's largest residence hall. The new residence hall - which will cost about $7 million - will be a little larger than the 42,000-square-foot Jim & Helen Lee Fugitte Science Center.
 

Richardson Hall - which opened in August 2001 -- is 34,000 square feet with 156 beds.
 

And, just like when Richardson Hall was built almost a decade ago, ground was broken Wednesday morning on the new residence hall because of an explosion in resident students.
 

The new residence hall will be a "testament to the Lindsey Wilson mission," said LWC Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management Dean Adams.
 

"In student life, we understand that not all learning takes place in a classroom, and that a very important part of our mission is to provide a living-learning environment for our students," Adams said. "This new residence hall will be a model of 21st-century living. It will represent the remarkable collection of students, faculty and staff, trustees, and alums that make this a very special place in higher learning."
 

For LWC senior Joshua Newman of Mayville, N.Y., the new residence hall indicates the college's "wonderful, positive direction."
 

"It's going to be an absolute blessing to have this new dormitory on campus come next year because it symbolizes the growing nature of the school and the bright future of this college," Newman said.
 

Newman recalled the major buildings added to LWC's A.P. White Campus during his three years at the college - Fugitte Science Center, Sumner Campus Center, Norma & Glen Hodge Center for Discipleship, and the Doris & Bob Holloway Wellness Center.
 

"It is crazy that even over the three years I have attended Lindsey Wilson, I have seen this college grow in leaps and bounds," he said. "It is astonishing to look back and realize all this has happened in just three years."
 

Luckey said the resident-student enrollment boom has been fueled by the college's increased retention rates, as well as the addition of several academic programs, extracurricular programs and intercollegiate sports programs.
 

All of which led Newman to say the new residence hall is "making room for the future."
 

"We may be setting the foundation for this new building now, but we are also setting the foundation for this school to grow for the future," he said.

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