Presbyterian College will launch the public phase of its Neville Renewed campaign with a campus-wide celebration at 4 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 16 on the Neville Hall Loggia as part of the College’s homecoming celebration. The celebration will include an announcement that the College has already raised nearly eight million of the $11.8 million campaign goal. The College anticipates the fundraising for Neville Renewed to be completed by the spring of 2016.

The kickoff event will include comments from Dr. Anita Gustafson, chair of the Senior Faculty Council; Grady Jones, vice president for advancement, marketing, public relations, and communications; E. G. Lassiter ’69, campaign chair; David ’86 and Elizabeth Parker ’87, major gifts committee co-chairs; Dr. Jeri Parris Perkins ’81, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Clinton; Pat Phillips ’71, chair of the Board; Dr. Neal Prater, Charles A. Dana Professor of English Emeritus; and Bob Staton ’68, PC president.

Built on the highest ground of the campus in 1907, Neville Hall stands as the focal point of the West Plaza. Its colonial-styled Georgian architecture set the pattern for all future buildings on campus. Today, Neville Hall plays a crucial role in PC students’ educational experience, serving as one of the main classroom facilities on campus.

Neville Hall was last renovated in 1988 and currently houses the departments of English, Religion and Philosophy, History, and Modern Foreign Language, as well as the Film, Media, Southern, and Women’s and Gender Studies minors. Annually, 179 liberal arts courses are taught in Neville Hall. Classroom and faculty office spaces are currently overcrowded, and different phases of renovations have made the building difficult to traverse. More than one-third of PC students attend class and a quarter of the faculty have offices in Neville Hall.

“Every living alumni had classes and experiences in the building; students and alumni alike identify this building with Presbyterian College,” said Lassiter. “Central on our campus, Neville Hall is the iconic symbol of the heart and core of Presbyterian College – the liberal arts. Now let us stand together committed to strengthening the very core of Presbyterian College.”

Remaining true to the original Georgian design, a team of architects from Craig Gaulden Davis, along with a renowned historical preservation architect, Martin Meek, have laid plans to renovate and expand Neville Hall. Much needed classroom and office space will be added as an addition to the back of the historic building. Other planned additions include state-of-the-art technology, federally mandated ADA accessibility, a language lab, auditorium, appropriate space for the writing center and 21st-century classroom spaces. The plans also include restoring the beauty of the building by reopening the open rotunda style that was closed off in earlier renovations when additional office space trumped the beauty of the rotunda.

Naming opportunities in Neville will be announced at the launch. The areas available to be named include everything from the rotunda to individual classrooms and offices.

Reservations for this event are recommended, but not required.

Learn more about the Neville Renewed Campaign »