April 25, 2007 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

SMC Dedicates Newest Facility On Campus

Phyllis Buchheit Board Room, Vassey Information Technology Center Now Open

(See photos from event)

(l-r) Bill Roach, SMC Executive Director of Information Technology; Gewn Paul, neice of Herbert and Rebecca Vassey; Dr. Charles Teague, SMC President; SMC Trustee Phyllis Buchheit DeLapp; and Andrew Babb, son of Mrs. DeLapp, cut the ribbon to dedicate SMC's newest facility on Wednesday, April 25.

SPARTANBURG, SC –  Spartanburg Methodist College held a grand opening and dedication of its newest facility, which includes the Phyllis Buchheit Board Room and Vassey Information Technology Center, on Wednesday.

The 4,213-square foot, $1.1 million facility is designed to accommodate additional meeting space, provides a new board room for the College’s Board of Trustees, and includes new offices and workspace for the College’s Information Technology Department.

“The facility was completed on time and on budget,” says SMC Vice-President of Business Affairs Bruce Whelchel.

The Phyllis Buchheit Board Room is named for Mrs. Phyllis Buchheit DeLapp, who serves as a trustee of the College and whose family has a longstanding tradition of supporting the College.

“In the strategic planning process, the Board of Trustees identified the need to construct a new facility that would not only address the needs of the Board of Trustees, but also the needs of the College. The beauty of the Board Room, its elegant design, and the ability to use the room for multiple purposes will serve the College for many decades to come.  We are grateful for the gifts we received from members of Mrs. DeLapp’s family that enabled this dream to become a reality,” says SMC President Dr. Charles Teague.

The Vassey Information Technology Center is named for Herbert and Rebecca Vassey, of Spartanburg, who died in 2003 and 2004, respectively. A bequest was made by the Vasseys to SMC and also to Bethel United Methodist Church in Spartanburg.

"The generous gift from Herbert and Rebecca Vassey grew out of their friendship with Fletcher and Ruth Thompson through their relationship at Bethel United Methodist Church.  Fletcher and Ruth, who are graduates of SMC, came to know the Vasseys very well and introduced them to our College,” says Teague.

The College’s Information Technology Center was previously housed in the Buchheit Administration Building. However, as computer technology and the demand for related services have increased on campus, the College has sought different avenues to address this growth.

“Through the Vassey’s bequest, the College seized the opportunity to develop this new facility.  The Information Technology Center serves as the technological hub for the faculty and academic program, the administrative processes, and the students of the College,” adds Teague.

The new facility will allow the College’s Information Technology Department to double its floor space from 700 square feet to nearly 1,400 square feet. It includes two private offices, a reception area and IT support area,  and a climate controlled server room with additional workspace.

The inclusion of raised flooring in the server room allows for future expansion of the Information Technology Center. The server room also features zoned air conditioning to maintain the temperature of the server equipment.

The facility also has a diesel-powered generator located outside, in the rear of the building, that will allow the College to keep its computing systems and the majority of its telephone systems online in event of a power outage.

“Our new facility provides a great number of features of which we are able to take advantage. It will allow us more flexibility and greater workspace for customer service and IT support for the entire College. We are very excited to be in this facility and appreciative of the generous support of the Vassey family,” says Executive Information Technology Director Bill Roach.

Members of both the Buchheit family and Vassey family were present at the dedication ceremony, in addition to many members of the College’s Board of Trustees.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 96th year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

For additional information, please contact Brian Fulkerson, Director of Public Information, at (864) 587-4254.

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