theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 32 | april 12, 2013
Leaven photo by Elaina Cochran
From left, Donnelly trustee Bill Dunn Jr. (with ribbon) is joined by Henry W. Bloch and trustee and alum George Breidenthal in cutting the ceremonial ribbon on Donnelly College’s new community event center on April 5, as Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, Donnelly trustees and community leaders look on. The three men co-chaired Donnelly’s Transformations campaign.
Donnelly gives back to KCK n Community event center the first of many new projects By Jessica Langdon Leaven staff
K
ANSAS CITY, Kan. — Karla Oseguera’s course schedule might not have included the study of a new structure being built from the ground up. But the Donnelly College student — who happens to be mapping out a future in civil engineering — still landed the perfect window to watch the activity on the north side of the main tower over the past several months. From where she worked on the sixth floor of Donnelly’s main building each day, Oseguera tracked the construction of a new community event center — a bright spot in the
future of Kansas City, Kan. — that had its grand opening on April 5, and she was among the first students to step inside. “I’m very excited,” Oseguera said of the now-complete 3,196-squarefoot community event center that was dedicated and blessed in an outdoor ceremony. To her, the new center demonstrates that Donnelly is growing. It is building on its rich history and planning for a strong future. Donnelly, which was established in 1949, has been operating in its current location — the former site of Providence Hospital — since 1982. Crews tore down the building that once served as the hospital laundry facility to make room for Donnelly’s new event center. This is sacred ground, Bill Dunn Jr. told the crowd at the dedication. Dunn is a Donnelly trustee and co-chairman of the Transformations campaign committee. Dunn’s mother was born at this
site when it was a hospital, and her cousin was the medical chief of staff. “This event center has always been an event center. It was an event center for life,” he said. “A lot of good things happened. People were born here. People were taken care of here.” And good things continue to happen here through the Catholic education students receive at Donnelly College. A series of speakers — introduced by Daniel Haake, chairman of Donnelly’s board of trustees — echoed that idea.
Instrument of good “Donnelly College is very much at the heart of the church’s mission, and we’re so delighted that this college has been such an instrument of good for so many years in this community,” said Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann.
The center speaks to a bright future, he told the crowd, not only for Donnelly but for Kansas City, Kan., and beyond. The college will use the new event center for campus events and meetings, and Donnelly will also allow rental of the facility on a firstcome, first-served basis for private and nonprofit events, thus adding another connection between the college and the community. “This is so exciting,” said Donnelly president Steve LaNasa, noting that the college has been working toward this day for several years. “It’s an outward sign of our commitment to the community.” Donnelly has plans for more projects in the coming years, but decided to start with this $1.5 million center, an example of “our commitment to be an anchor here in the urban core,” LaNasa said. He recognized supporters and emphasized the support Donnelly >> See “Center” on page 2