Members of the public are invited to join Northwestern College students, faculty and staff for the dedication of the Frank and Lois Vogel Welcome Center. Tours of the new facility will follow the 4:30 p.m. ceremony on Friday, Sept. 17.
The $3.1 million building houses the admissions, financial aid, and marketing and communications offices. Alumni hospitality will also be available in the welcome center.
“The Vogel Welcome Center makes a standout first impression. Located near the campus’s main entrance, it’s a great front door for Raider Nation with a spacious, inviting lounge and stunning red glass wall displaying our Raiders Stand Out promise,” says Tamara Fynaardt, vice president for enrollment and marketing. “We want anyone who visits—especially prospective students and their families—to feel our warm welcome and start dreaming about the amazing things they might experience here.”
In addition to a reception lounge, the 9,300-square-foot facility includes 12 offices, four conference rooms, a photo studio and two communal work areas.
The Vogel Welcome Center was named in honor of Frank Vogel—a 1947 Northwestern alumnus who served as president of Diamond Vogel and was a 28-year member of the college’s Board of Trustees—and his late wife, Lois. Their lead gift of $1 million covered nearly one-third of construction expenses.
Carl Wynja, chair of the Board of Trustees; Tamara Fynaardt, vice president of enrollment and marketing; Jay Wielenga, vice president for advancement; and Greg Christy, president of Northwestern College, will share remarks during the dedication program. Members of the Vogel family will participate in the ribbon cutting.
The facility was designed by BVH Architecture in consultation with Tetrad Property Group, both of which have offices in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. Hoogendoorn Construction of Canton, South Dakota, served as general contractor.
