Ithaca, NY--Last fall, after Ithaca College had successfully met its $10.5 million goal in the capital campaign for the James J. Whalen Center for Music, the Park Foundation announced a challenge to help raise additional funds for the project. The College successfully met the challenge by raising $250,000 by December 31, 1998, and will receive a $750,000 award from the Park Foundation.

"We are deeply grateful to the Park Foundation for its generous support through the years, but especially for this unusual challenge to benefit the School of Music," said Ithaca College president Peggy R. Williams. "Because of the generous three-to-one match, we received nearly 200 new gifts last fall and over $250,000 in additional funds for the new center for music. The collaborative nature of this campaign has been truly inspiring, with support coming not only from alumni, but from the campus and the Ithaca communities as well-more than 1,300 donors in all."

Shelley Semmler, manager of the campaign and associate vice president for college relations and resource development, praised Marjorie Rooke Schwab '69 as well as the members of the volunteer campaign committee for their outstanding support.

When completed, the James J. Whalen Center for Music will nearly double the amount of teaching and performance space for the School of Music. "The construction crew is now concentrating on interior work, and we expect to be able to occupy the new building in March," said Arthur Ostrander, dean of the School of Music. "The faculty, staff, and students are definitely looking forward to this semester because their dream of many years is fast becoming a reality." The grand opening and dedication are scheduled for the weekend of October 1 and 2, 1999.

The Whalen Center will feature a new recital hall, an electroacoustic music suite, a computer classroom and lab, additional rehearsal space, a music education resource center, recording control rooms, faculty teaching studios, and an ensemble collection library. Extensive renovation of the existing music facility will take place this summer, providing chamber music rehearsal space and enhanced backstage facilities for the auditorium and recital hall.