On a sparkling autumn afternoon, an overflow crowd of nearly five hundred friends, faculty, and students of the College of Engineering gathered to celebrate the dedication of Gary and Donna Hoover Hall, the new home of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

"You are the first audience to sit in the Kent-Stein Auditorium of Hoover Hall," remarked Dean James L. Melsa. "To Gary and Donna, to all of you I say: welcome to your Engineering Teaching and Research Complex, the material fulfillment of your vision and faith in our future."

A series of speakers shared their enthusiasm for the impressive new facility. Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy was effusive in his praise. "Standing up here as a former professor," he said, "I can imagine what a great facility this will be to teach in--and to learn in. Achieving excellence as a land grant university requires that we achieve excellence in engineering--and we're doing that today."

Dr. Debra Turner, president pro tem of the Iowa Board of Regents, lauded the generosity of all who worked for the ETRC and Hoover Hall. "The stand you have taken to support higher education in the state of Iowa is awesome," Turner observed. "It takes special people to recognize the significance and support the efforts of a land grant university."

In his remarks, Gary Hoover commended the vision of Dean James Melsa. "The bricks and mortar you see here today are necessary but they're not sufficient," Hoover continued. "You need good people to make great things happen. The ETRC is a great idea created by Jim Melsa, and I just supported that idea."

At the end of the dedication ceremony, Melsa presented the Hoovers with a stained glass rendering of Gary and Donna Hoover Hall. And a grateful crowd presented them and all of the supporters of the ETRC with an extended ovation. A reception and open house followed the ceremony.

You can read more about the dedication in the Fall '03 Issue of Marston Muses.