Summer improvements and renovations to greet returning Maryville College students and faculty
Aug. 16, 2022
The 2022-23 academic year begins this month, and Maryville College students and faculty will return to a campus that received a little shine and polish over the summer months.
Under the supervision of recently appointed Chief Operations Officer John Berry and Physical Plant Director Larry May, crews took advantage of the relatively quiet summer months to make upgrades and improvements to several campus facilities. One of the most comprehensive projects involved renovations within the Cooper Athletic Center, work that began when MC alumni and friends painted bleachers as part of the annual KT Days, a three-day give-back program in which Scots returned to campus to take part in 16 facilities-related improvement projects. Work inside the Boydson Baird Gymnasium is largely funded through private gifts.
In addition to the work on the bleachers, Berry said, “the gym ceiling was painted black and banners replaced, and the gym lighting will be replaced in the near future. These changes and upgrades complement the hallway paint, floor and light work previously completed, which are a tremendous facelift for the facility.”
MC Scots sports fans will be able to see the renovations for themselves when the Lady Scots Volleyball team kicks off at-home play on Sept. 1 against Johnson University.
Over in Carnegie Hall, into which students will move when residence halls open for the semester on Aug. 19, crews repaired water damage caused by an errant sprinkler system activation earlier this year. In addition to upgrades in appearance and quality, Carnegie also received new carpet in the parlor, some replacement furniture and a new fire alarm system.
In the Sutton Science Center — home to the divisions of Behavioral Sciences, Natural Sciences and Math and Computer Science — old flooring tiles were removed in the hallways, and the concrete floors beneath them were polished to a smooth, glossy finish, Berry said.
“That required tremendous time and effort by the Physical Plant staff,” he added. “Some HVAC equipment will be replaced as well, which will increase comfort, reduce noise and lower energy use.”
At the House in the Woods — first constructed in 1917 as the parsonage for the College’s first pastor, Dr. William Patton Stevenson — renovations will continue as the College finalizes plans for the facility’s future use. Extensive renovations were completed in 2002, and the house, nestled in the Maryville College Woods, has served as a retreat and event venue ever since.
Beginning in May, the structure received a new roof, and Physical Plant personnel painted its exterior wood and trim. New gutters will be installed as well, May added.
Finally, it’s not a renovation, but continued work on the Austin Coleman Piper Memorial Track means the planned facility — named in honor of the late Austin Coleman “Cole” Piper ’68, a longtime MC supporter and one-time chair of the College’s Board of Directors who died last year — will look much further along than it did when the spring semester came to a close.
Concrete has been poured, and the eight-lane, quarter-mile track with dual long- and triple-jump runways, a throws facility and a dual jumping pole vault runway is on track for an October ribbon-cutting. Located on the eastern side of campus between the softball and soccer fields and the Maryville College Woods, the track is expected to cost roughly $3 million, some of which will be offset by donations made in Piper’s memory.“Maintaining a historic college campus is no easy task, and prioritization of our annual projects is key,” said Maryville College President Bryan Coker. “As always, we work to focus on the impact and benefits for our people — students and employees — what makes them safer, more comfortable, and enhances their experience at MC.”
