As the institution prepares for a presidential transition, the University of Charleston’s (UC’s) Board of Trustees approved an $8 million comprehensive campaign to fund two major initiatives. The campaign’s focus is to build a new athletic complex to be shared by four of UC’s Division II teams and to fund the second phase of the University’s innovation programming, designed to expand innovation concepts and activities into the Charleston community.
The new athletic complex will be named the Welch Athletic Complex to honor the achievements and legacy of President Edwin H. Welch during his 29 years here. He will retire in June.
The Welch Athletic Complex, a $4 million project, will enlarge and renovate the current baseball field, known as Triana Field. The complex will be home field for UC’s baseball, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s lacrosse teams. The state of the art complex will include artificial turf, concessions, bleachers, locker rooms and scoreboard. In two stadium areas, the new facilities will provide competition and practice fields for the 170 athletes from these four sports. Currently the field is only used for baseball. The City of Charleston has approved the closing of 19th Street providing additional space for the project. As in the past, the fields will be available for community access when not being used by UC teams.
The second focus of the campaign is to expand the UC’s innovation programming to involve community partnerships with businesses, nonprofits, government and individuals. The original vision for the Russell and Martha Wehrle Innovation Center was to create a strong campus base for innovation and then to extend that into Charleston and the greater Kanawha region. After its inaugural year, the UC base of innovation is strong and secure on campus, and Innovation is being embedded throughout the UC curriculum. Faculty, students and staff are embracing the concepts, participating in competitions, developing business plans, and applying design thinking concepts within all of UC’s programs.
The Welch Challenge Campaign chair is Bernard E. Layne III of Mani, Ellis & Layne, PLLC.
“Dr. Ed Welch is a true visionary in the field of higher education,” said Layne. “His innovative approach to education and athletic competition has changed the complexion and perception of the University of Charleston during his 29-year tenure. This campaign will move his original master plan and innovation programming vision forward and will serve as a capstone to his remarkably brilliant career at our University. “
In his 28 years at the University of Charleston, Dr. Welch has led many campaigns to develop the university and its programs. In 1994, he secured what was at the time, the largest gift in UC history, leading to the construction of the Clay Tower Building. More recently, Dr. Welch oversaw the design and completion of the $20.5 million Wehrle Innovation Project on campus. He announced his retirement earlier this year, effective June 2018.
There will be a community celebration and fundraising dinner on June 15 to honor both Dr. Ed and Dr. Janet Welch for their accomplishments at the University and in the community.
