JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 9, 2022 — 51社区 broke ground Sept. 9 on a 40,000-square-foot academic building on the Great Lawn that will house the McAfee School of Business and the departments of computer science and engineering.
Site work on the building is expected to begin in the next couple of months, with an estimated completion date in time to open for the fall 2024 semester. TLM Associates of Jackson is the architectural firm handling the building鈥檚 design.
The McAfee family, for whom the McAfee School of Business is named, announced in 2021 a lead gift for the building. Carolyn McAfee Bruner and her late husband, James T. McAfee Jr., graduated from Union in 1961. Their son Tom is a 1994 Union graduate and is chairman and president of Hallmark Systems Inc. His wife Julie is a 1993 Union graduate.
Tom McAfee spoke at Friday鈥檚 groundbreaking about his love for Union and for his vision of what the new academic building will accomplish.
鈥淭he faculty at Union have a unique opportunity to share how their academic discipline enables them to live in the light of their faith that has enlightened them,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e able to demonstrate how God has called them to carry their light and to share their light with others. In turn, they are preparing students to go out and make a difference in the world with their own light.鈥�
The building will be located between White Hall and Pleasant Plains Extension and will match the architecture and exterior appearance of the existing buildings on the Great Lawn. The interior of the facility will be built with innovation and the future of business in mind. The project is part of the campus master plan that Union trustees approved in 2019.
鈥淎s we look to the future, we want to be thinking about ways to help our students be prepared for the workforce and for opportunities to serve the church and society,鈥� Union President Samuel W. 鈥淒ub鈥� Oliver said. 鈥淭his building is designed to be an innovation hub between business, engineering and computer science 鈥� disciplines that are distinct but yet work together in a lot of ways to advance opportunities and ideas and build new things that can improve people鈥檚 lives.鈥�
Robyn Hari, chair of Union鈥檚 Board of Trustees, said the new building is another example of Union鈥檚 commitment to Christ-centered academic excellence.
鈥淭his facility is the first building in Union鈥檚 campus master plan, and it鈥檚 a new opportunity as we think about what the Lord has in store for us,鈥� Hari said. 鈥淭his building will be an incredible place for students to learn how to serve in the business community and how to lift Christ high in the marketplace.鈥�
The facility is expected to cost about $20 million, Oliver said. So far $14.4 million of that has been pledged and given. Those interested in contributing can do so at .
The groundbreaking ceremony followed the September meeting of Union鈥檚 Board of Trustees, where they reviewed financial information from the past year and re-elected officers: Hari as chair, Jeff Perkins as vice chair and Joshua Dougan as secretary.