With the help of campaign dollars, we’ve been able to make high-impact investment in our campus spaces, making sustainable decisions that prioritize adaptive reuse.
Lewis & Clark has a new heart of campus. Previously known as Templeton, the Stephanie Fowler Student Center fully opened this spring after a year of renovations.
The bright, open building now features ample spaces for student organizations to meet, as well as covered outdoor gathering spots perfect for sunny or rainy days and a new fully ADA-compliant exterior elevator.
President Robin Holmes-Sullivan helped launch the project when she was vice president of student life and dean of students.
I’m so pleased to have played a role in creating this vibrant hub on campus. It’s a great space for students to come together and dream big.”
Stephanie Fowler, Former Chair of the Board of Trustees
“In the past, it’s been hard for our students to identify the heart of campus,” Holmes-Sullivan says. “This renovation has been a great opportunity to work on both better utilizing large space and organizing it in a way that we know is going to enhance a sense of belonging.”
Informed by suggestions from a student advisory board and a consulting group, the newly renovated building was the signature project of the college’s fundraising campaign. Templeton Campus Center, which originally opened in 1956, was renamed to honor former board chair Stephanie Fowler MA ’97. Her husband, Irving Levin, generously donated the lead gift for the remodel.
The center’s main floor saw almost 20,000 square feet of renovations. This includes a “main street” for student organizations. These groups have taken over what were previously staff offices, allowing it to feel more like a student union. This key area also now offers flexible meeting spaces for student groups.
Nearby is a student engagement help desk, where staff help students get involved in campus by connecting them to existing clubs and organizations—or by helping them start new ones. The lobby next to the Council Chamber is now known as Beth Miller Lounge, named after Life Trustee Beth Miller BS ’73. It’s a space perfectly suited for receptions and other events.
Investing in L&C’s physical campus helps us create a more vibrant and welcoming learning community. These spaces help us attract and retain students while fostering a greater sense of community.”
Heidi Hu BS ’85, Campaign Cochair and Trustee
Down the hallway is the revitalized Trail Room. This casual food venue has been transformed into a café and lounge space by day and a venue suited for everything from poetry readings to concerts by night.
OTHER INVESTMENTS IN L&C PEOPLE INCLUDE…
Transformations to the Huston Sports Complex, enhancing athletic and recreational programs that build character and lifelong success
The new Bergman Courtroom at the law school, which gives students the opportunity to learn and practice litigation skills in a simulated courtroom
Enhanced studio space for art therapy and instruction in the graduate school’s Community Counseling Center on Barbur Boulevard in Portland
The Patrick and Dorris Nielson Courtyard now acts as a central pathway through the building and a student gathering space. It features a fire pit, seating, and a Japanese-inspired plant garden. A glass canopy offers protection from the elements.
And, upstairs, Fields Dining Hall—also known as “The Bon”— has grown to include covered outdoor eating areas. The Hu Media Lounge, named after Trustee Heidi Hu BS ’85, is located near The Bon and acts as the de facto living room for the student center. It’s a gathering spot for social gaming and e-sports, as well as a resource that meet students’ technology needs, from printing to group projects.
“Fowler Student Center is becoming a lively hub for residential and commuter undergraduates,” says Madeleine MacWilliamson BA ’24, last year’s president of the Associated Student Body. “Transforming Templeton into Fowler has revived our student center to be a true student union.”
The Exploring for the Global Good campaign was the most ambitious in Lewis & Clark’s history. Together, we met–and exceeded–our $155 million goal a full year early.
Our campaign success has enabled us to make significant investments in the people of Lewis & Clark. This translates into expanded scholarship opportunities as well as endowed faculty positions in areas such as entrepreneurship —plus, much more!
More than 18,000 individual donors contributed to the success of the Exploring for the Global Good campaign. We extend our thanks to each one, including the campaign leadership who helped spearhead this landmark effort.
The L&C Magazine staff welcomes letters and emails from readers about topics covered in the magazine. Correspondence must include your name and location and may be edited.
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