Funds complete for building project

When the 2008 fall semester b e g in s a t S a in t M a ry ’s th is A ugust, s tu d e n ts will a t te n d m an y c la s s e s in a b u i ld in g c o m p le te d a f t e r th e m o s t expensive construction project in College history. Spes Unica Hall is a new aca­ demic building currently under construction on the northeas t side of cam pus . F u n d ra is in g for the building has recen tly been completed, and the build­ ing is set to open for classes in the fall. The total cost of the project is $19.2 million, making it the m ost expensive co n s tru c t io n project in College history. The building was entirely paid for in donations, without putting to use any o th e r college funds, said Saint Mary’s spokesperson Gwen O’Brien. More than 600 donations came in from faculty, staff, a lu m n ae , s tu d en ts and friends of the College, she said. College President Carol Ann Mooney said the opening of the building will allow continued growth at Saint Mary’s. “This building represents our future — a future that will see us eve r m ore am b it io u s and ever m ore widely recognized for the excellent education of women,” she said. “I am most grateful to our donors for their c o m m itm e n t to o u r m iss ion and vision.” T he b u i ld in g ’s n a m e , Spes Unica, is Latin for “o u r only hope” and refers to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is the motto of b o th S a in t M a r y ’s a n d the College’s founding order, the Congregation of Holy Cross. The name was chosen by one of the significant donors to the project, O’Brien said. “A num ber of names for the academ ic building w ere con­ s id e re d ; how ever , w h en the nam e Spes Unica was consid­ ered, it spoke to our mission,” s a id S h a r i R o d r ig u e z , vice president of College Relations. Ground was broken on this 65,000 square-foot building in the fall of 2006. Spes Unica will house 13 of the 20 academ ic d e p a r tm en ts a t Saint M ary’s, a s w e l l a s th e C e n te r fo r A c a d e m ic I n n o v a t io n , th e Center for Spirituality and the C e n te r for W o m e n ’s