Students, faculty, and staff at Culver-Stockton College came together on Thursday afternoon to celebrate the ground breaking for the new Innovation, Design, and Experiential Activities (IDEA) Center.

The event started in the Gladys Crown Center with an opening prayer led by Chaplain Amanda Sorenson, followed by a statement by Culver-Stockton College President Dr. Doug Palmer.

“In the midst of a pandemic we have exceeded the goals of our capital campaign including the funds for this building which is entirely paid for by the generosity of our donors” said Palmer. He had previously mentioned how historically Culver-Stockton College is used to beating the odds mentioning how the College has survived the Civil War, floods, fires, and tornadoes.

Funding for the new IDEA Center came together in the 2020 Culver-Stockton Changing Lives! comprehensive campaign.

The IDEA Center is dedicated to students working together as part of an active learning community trying to solve problems said Palmer.

The ground breaking was held just outside of the Gladys Crown Courtyard where President Dr. Doug Palmer and seven others broke ground for the new building. Joining Palmer was: Larry Gorrel the vice chair of the board of trustees; Todd Moore with Architechnics of Quincy; Ill., Tony Crane with Architechnics and a member of the Board of Trustees; Melody Schroer, an associate professor of legal studies and the faculty representative for the Board of Trustee; Dr. Dell Ann Janney, associate dean of experiential education & external relations; Cheyenne Grissom, president of the Student Government Association and the student representative for the Board of Trustees; and Taryn Hutcherson, vice president of the Student Government Association.

The original ground breaking ceremony was set for Feb. 11, but was postponed due to inclement weather. Construction work is set to being on March 10.