ESU celebrates opening of Schallenkamp Hall

Former President Kay Schallenkamp, along with friends, family, former colleagues and university administrators, celebrated the opening of Schallenkamp Hall — Emporia State University’s newest residence hall — last month.

President Allison Garrett said Schallenkamp’s innumerable contributions to the university brought her name to the top of the list when the university was discussing what to call the new residence all. Schallenkamp, who was the first woman to lead a Kansas Board of Regents institution, served as the 14th president of ESU from 1997 - 2006.

“Her name popped up to the top of the list immediately,” Garrett said. “When I called her, maybe a year and a half ago or so, to ask her permission to name the new residence hall for her, I could hear her getting choked up at the other end of the line. I was honored to be able to call her and share that news with her, because as I noted, she broke the glass ceiling here in Kansas.”

During her tenure, Schallenkamp oversaw the creation of the Ethnic and Genders Studies program, as well as the successful adoption of the university’s “Power E” logo. She also created the Presidential Scholarship program and helped cultivate ESU’s continued success in educating the next generation of teachers.

“She did so much for Ethnic and Gender Studies and moving the university forward, just in so many ways,” Garrett said. “She left an incredible legacy. Now her legacy is a bit more visible, but she left an incredible legacy. She’s a wonderful role model, and she’s become a good friend.”

Schallenkamp said she was proud of the work she did at ESU, but especially proud of the accomplishments of the university’s students and alumni.

“Seeing the success of our students, the many first-generation college students come and complete their degrees and go on to amazing careers,” she said. “Now when I get the alumni magazine and I look at the students 10 and 12 years later and what they’re doing — it makes you so proud that you were part of changing lives, and helping students contribute to the state, to the city, to the nation. I think that’s what I was most proud of, is what we were able to do for the students.”

The former president said she was speechless when she first saw the building that had been named for her. The 90,000-square-foot residence hall will provide housing for 324 students this year. There are 171 rooms, and just under 3,800 square feet of common learning space. It comes with a number of amenities such as laundry facilities on every floor, community kitchens, LED lighting and backup power.

“It took my breath away; it really did,” she said. “It’s just remarkable.”

Schallenkamp said she was impressed with a number of features, including the amount of common learning spaces.

“When we toured [Thursday], the gathering space is something that really struck me as something very special,” she said. “We didn’t have that kind of space when I was in a residence hall. It wasn’t even considered. ... It’s the thoughtfulness that went into the residence hall, but those study spaces are just the best.”

Garrett said the completion of Schallenkamp Hall is a great accomplishment that allows the university to move on to the next phase of its master plan.

“The next phase is the complete renovation of Abigail Morse, which is just a beautiful, historic building,” she said. “It was the first dormitory on this campus. It will be completely renovated and sitting by itself when our students come back in the next couple of years. It’s just one part of this campus master plan that works on improving our student housing.”

The university previously renovated the dorms in the Towers complex in 2007 and Singular and Trusler in 2014.

“All of our student housing will really be wonderful once we finish the work with the dorm space over at Wooster Lake, as well,” Garrett said. “It’s just so wonderful for our students to have those kinds of spaces, because this really does become home for the time that they are in college.”

Garrett also took time to thank the Schallenkamps for another lasting legacy at the university: The Schallenkamps have also pledged $200,000 to the university that will fund student scholarships and help maintain Schallenkamp Hall in the future.