$39 Million Science Pavilion to be Dedicated at Saint Vincent College

LATROBE, Pa., June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nearly 500 alumni, friends, and representatives of foundations, corporations and other organizations will witness the ceremonial dedication, June 25, of the $39 million, Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion, a state-of-the-art educational facility that will provide classrooms, laboratories and offices for the Herbert W. Boyer School of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computing at Saint Vincent College.

The Pavilion is named in recognition of a $7.6 million gift from the family and friends of Mr. and Mrs. Dupre. Mr. Dupre is a graduate of Saint Vincent and is renowned for his patents in artificial snow-making and legendary ownership of Seven Springs Mountain Resort.

The dedication ceremony included remarks by Br. Norman W. Hipps, O.S.B., president, Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki, O.S.B., chancellor.

"I have known Herman and Sis for a long time," Archabbot Douglas commented. "Through tough beginnings, by their hard work and endurance, and overcoming all kinds of obstacles, they built Seven Springs, a world renowned ski resort. If they had done only that, it would be sufficient to honor them. However, they did something much more significant. They never lost sight of the most important thing and that is the gift of life – to try to be authentic human beings. This family not only cares for the people that they know, but by this Pavilion, they have extended their caring to the education of young people – students who through their generosity and educations will enable them to help create a better world for all of them."

"The Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion is an extraordinarily important facility for Saint Vincent College," Br. Norman W. Hipps, O.S.B., president, said. "What it means for our sciences and mathematics programs is creating a space where students and faculty can do science together – to facilitate significant interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary programming. The other element of the design is one that promotes a lot of informal interactions between and among the faculty and students. We are providing the kinds of spaces where our faculty and students can be engaged in doing sciences and mathematics most effectively."

The ceremony will also include a Ceremony of the Bells for the installation and ringing of 11 custom-made Swiss cow bells in the atrium – one for Mrs. Dupre, one for Mr. Dupre and one for each of their nine daughters – Denise, Laura, Rosi, Anni, Janeen, Heidi, Gretl, Michele and Renee. In their ancestral land, the sound of bells signals the safe return of the farmers' cows from the mountains in the fall and the start of a celebration in the villages.

The Sis and Herman Dupre Science Pavilion is the largest building project in the College's history.

SOURCE St. Vincent College