Column: Northwest staying active this summer
Lance Tatum President, Northwest Missouri State University
We concluded the 2024-2025 academic year at Northwest earlier this month and are now in the first weeks of our summer session. From celebrating the accomplishments of more than 1,505 graduates during our commencement ceremonies May 2-3, to the more than $188,000 raised during our annual Day of Giving in April, Northwest had a lot to be proud of during the spring semester, and we’re thankful for all who contribute to the university’s success.
Now, as the summer begins and many of our students have gone away to internships and other activities, those of you who visit the campus will no doubt notice many construction projects are continuing and causing disruption to the landscape.
Among the most prominent as you pass the campus on Fourth Street is our transformational expansion of Martindale Hall. We are projecting a May 2026 completion date, and it will greatly enhance what we can do for our School of Health Science and Wellness inside the building, which will house a foods and nutrition lab, well-being lab and sports science lab as well as classrooms and collaboration spaces. Conversations are happening about the opportunities that will exist within the facility and how we might leverage those opportunities for industries and the individuals in our region.
As you move inward on campus, our energy infrastructure modernization project also is on track. You may recall the significant construction that occurred on campus last summer, and that will be the case again this summer, largely because of this project, which is now in its second of three phases. A great deal of work happened inside during the cooler months, and now our facilities team and construction partners are turning their focus to outdoor work.
The energy infrastructure modernization project is a $105 million initiative to enhance energy distribution; domestic water, sewer and stormwater systems; and heating, cooling and electrical systems. When it is completed in 2026, our campus will have the ability to deliver more reliable, sustainable and cost-effective utility services to campus facilities for future generations.
As a consequence of that project, we are moving the Mark Rosewell Tennis Center and its Frank Grube Courts, due to work on a pipeline that stretches beneath the current tennis courts. While Northwest plans to refurbish the courts for pickleball, basketball and other general recreational uses, the subsequent reconstruction will affect how the court plays for our NCAA teams. Therefore, we are taking advantage of the opportunity to move the tennis courts to the west side of the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse. Our ultimate vision for the west side of campus is a reimagined athletics complex that includes new baseball and softball facilities with other amenities.
One other noteworthy project is our creamery at the R.T. Wright Farm, though its progress has been slowed by shipping delays. Regardless, we are looking forward to the day when we can offer dairy products created at that facility.
As Northwest revisits its strategic plan this summer and looks forward to the fall, the priorities remain the same as I have described before. We are focused on enrollment growth and sustainability, the collegiate experience and our people.
Lance Tatum is the 11th president of Northwest Missouri State University. For news and events at Northwest, visit nwmissouri.edu.
