The recently completed Pfleiderer Hall renovation and beautification project is more than cosmetic.
“Since this is a teaching building, it was important to focus the project and address the classrooms,” said Dr. David Kimmel during a rededication ceremony on Friday. He praised the bright and inviting “physical environment to match our education environment” created by the $1.3 million renovation.
“Everyone who enters Pfleiderer benefits from the renovation,” he said. With the addition of an elevator and other interior and exterior improvements, safety and access have been improved. State-of-the-art technology has created classrooms better designed for learning in the 21st century and the frequently used Herbster Chapel looks amazing.
For faculty, “The renovations visually underscore what the Frost Kalnow Professorship in the Humanities represents, and that is a commitment by the university, the administrations, the Board of Trustees and donors to teaching in the humanities,” David said.
But first, there had to be a vision. That vision came from Trustee Emeritus John Q. Adams, ’58, and his wife, Pat, who rallied their friends and colleagues to address the needs in Pfleiderer. Trustee Andrew Kalnow, who has a close personal connection to the building by virtue of his late mother and space named inside Pfleiderer in her honor, understood the need and quickly came on board, as did his wife, Cindy, his sisters, Loretta and her husband, Allan Kaplan, and Gertrude and her husband, Homer Chisholm. Also joining the tour de force of donors were Trustee Ralph and Joan (Swinehart) ‘68 Talmage and the Meshech Frost Charitable Trust and the White Family Charitable Fund of the Tiffin Community Foundation.
“This is astounding,” Andrew said. “In my mind, it represents Heidelberg by combining history, heritage and traditions and traditional humanities courses with contemporary things such as modern technology.”
In expressing the university’s collective gratitude, President Rob Huntington said the project only happened because of the donors’ vision and generosity, which started and ended with John and Pat Adams.
“All of these donors matter and they made it happen,” the president said. “John and Pat started the idea rolling. They were the first donors and the last donors. It does take a team and we are extremely grateful.”