WAC Officially Opens
CONWAY, Ark. (Sept. 27, 2006)
Former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley officially opened Hendrix College’s new $23 million, 100,000-square-foot Wellness and Athletics Center by encouraging its users to develop the facility as a place of personal and community growth.
Speaking to a crowd of more than 700 gathered in the new Grove Gymnasium inside the WAC, Bradley said the facility should ultimately be used to build a sense of community on the Hendrix College campus and throughout the region.
“This facility represents one of the greatest things about America," Bradley told the audience. “It's a place for people to get together and do things. That’s been an important part of our culture throughout American history. In a fundamental way, this will bring people together. Buildings have a way of doing these things.”
Earlier in the day, Bradley addressed a Hendrix class titled “Issues in Politics: Terrorism,” where he discussed the country’s role in a variety of international relations events. Questions from students – ranging from Bradley’s experiences in the U.S. Senate to his opinions of current world events – dominated the session, with Bradley’s answers receiving national media attention.
Bradley’s accomplishments as an All-American basketball player at Princeton, a Rhodes Scholar, Olympic gold medalist, NBA standout, U.S. Senator, presidential candidate, business leader and author made Bradley an outstanding exemplar of the benefits of a well-rounded education, Hendrix Athletics Director Danny Powell told the convocation audience.
A variety of other events took place during the day-long celebration, from specialized tours of the building to a health and wellness fair featuring several area businesses. Students ended the day by participating in a "dive-in movie" in the WAC's aquatic center where "Jaws" was the feature presentation.
The Wellness and Athletic Center includes an indoor track, four indoor tennis courts, a gymnasium and special events center, an indoor soccer court, a 26-foot-high climbing wall, an aquatic center with an 8-lane competitive swimming pool, a diving pool, a sun porch and a retractable roof; and a state-of-the-art fitness center with treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bicycles equipped with internet access, free weights, and other fitness components.
Hendrix, founded in 1876, is a selective, residential, undergraduate liberal arts college that emphasizes experiential learning in a demanding yet supportive environment. The college has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1884. For more information, visit www.hendrix.edu.
