Campaign Earns National Award
Thanks to the charitable contributions of the Tri-State University alumni, corporate and foundation donors, and friends, the TSU Advancement Department has been awarded a bronze medal for their fund-raising abilities in the capital campaign, Vision for the Future, from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

At the time of nomination, $48 million had been raised in the $70 million capital campaign. Now the total exceeds $55 million, which is distinguished as the largest capital campaign total in the history of TSU.

“We are ecstatic about the progress we have made during this campaign,” said Robert Remington, vice president for University Advancement. “It is humbling to bear witness to the generosity of our supporters. We hope to continue with this momentum as our campaign progresses.”

TSU was chosen out of 48 university entries to place among the top fund-raising colleges in the country. CASE is based in Washington, DC and Europe and provides professionals in alumni relations, fund-raising, and communications with support to advance educational institutions.

CASE plans to post TSU’s bronze finish on their national database in June. The advancement team and Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., president of TSU, will receive a congratulatory letter from the CASE president, John Lippincott. TSU also earns the distinction that only 15 other schools received by being named among this year’s top campaigns. This is TSU’s first time to receive the award.

TSU Undergoes Construction
In addition to the Tri-State University’s new University Center and Center for Online Resources, slated to be open in fall of 2007, TSU is also announcing additional projects that will forever change the face of the University.

At the unveiling of the TSU master plan, specific details were given on upcoming TSU projects. A multi-purpose sports complex and new student housing, replacing dormitory-style residence halls, will be constructed. In addition, renovations will be completed on C. W. Sponsel Administrative Center, the Franks School of Education (Ford Library and Bookstore), and the Ketner School of Business (Shambaugh Hall). Integrated in these plans will be new infrastructure and technology that includes an expanded fiber optic network, a completely wireless environment, Shared Multimedia Access to Resources for Teaching (SMART) classrooms, and a faculty and student laptop implementation program, all complete with detailed training for students, faculty and staff. These undertakings, along with future projects, were recently approved by the TSU Board of Trustees in conjunction with the success of the Vision for the Future capital campaign.

“The University Center project is the largest single project in the history of TSU,” noted Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D., president of TSU. “However, these added projects will be monumental in the way that TSU enters the future. These steps, along with our excellent faculty and staff, will ensure that we provide a first-class learning environment for our students and provide the necessary resources for a quality educational experience.”

The completion date of these constructions and renovations is projected to be the fall of 2007. Plans are also in progress to demolish Stewart Hall, TSU’s largest residence hall, and to build in its place a six-court, state-of-the-art tennis pavilion in the summer of 2008. New student apartments will replace the housing.

Located on our Web site is a special page devoted to the master plan complete with photos and details on each project.

Lacrosse Comes To Campus
Lacrosse—a sport gaining momentum throughout the country and, particularly, the Midwest—will make its way to the TSU field in 2007. Coaches will be hired by fall for recruiting, scheduling, and organizing the upcoming season. TSU lacrosse will be played in both the new sports complex, set to be finished in 2007, and on one of the outdoor competition fields.

The 2007 season will be played as a club sport with the men and women’s teams playing varsity colleges throughout the Midwest. TSU’s addition of lacrosse will bring the number of colleges with the sport to six in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA). TSU Athletic Director Dr. David Anspaugh predicts that lacrosse will be a conference sport by 2008.

TSU is just the second college in Indiana to offer women’s lacrosse. Only two other colleges in the state offer men’s lacrosse. “With over 400 student-athletes, it is important that we continue offering programs and activities that are attractive to our student body,” said Earl D. Brooks II, Ph.D. “The addition of lacrosse at this time allows TSU to stand at the progressive helm of our athletic conference.”