CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. (April 14, 2021) — On Saturday, April 23, 2022, Thomas More University plans to hold a ceremonial break ground for its newest academic center, a 34,000 square foot building that will house advanced technology and state-of-the-art classroom environments. The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public and takes place at 11 a.m. near the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel parking lot, located behind the Thomas More Saints baseball field.

The groundbreaking is part of the inaugural Alumni and Family Weekend, five days of events and celebrations intended to welcome alumni and families to campus, while also including components for current students. The events kick off with Wine Tasting with Alumni & Friends on Wednesday evening, and the celebration continues through Sunday, concluding with an Alumni Mass. The inaugural Saints Sustainability Celebration will also be included in the festivities, taking place on Friday. 

The new academic center will house a 375-seat auditorium, a technology and prototype lab, the Dr. Anthony ’65 & Geraldine ’66 Zembrodt Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, the Center for Faith, Mission, and Catholic Education, and the College of Business. The building will feature a four-story atrium, which allows for an immense amount of natural light to enter and create an ideal learning environment for students. Breakaway spaces are included throughout the building, offering students and professors inviting locations for quick meetings. Construction is set to move forward this summer.

When celebrating its centennial in Fall 2021, Thomas More announced a major comprehensive fundraising campaign entitled The Second Century: It’s Time for More. This campaign provides financial support for the five-year Strategic Plan: Lighting the Way, which, in addition to other campus improvements, includes plans for the new academic center and enhanced student spaces. “This is an exciting time as we grow the size of our campus and augment our academic space for teaching, learning and innovation with the construction of the new academic center,” says Thomas More University President Joseph L. Chillo, LP.D. “With the new academic building, we want to ensure that our students are set up for success with the very best facilities that will fuel their passion for learning. We are now seeing goals set by the Second Century Campaign becoming a reality. This is an essential piece of the puzzle as we move forward with our Strategic Plan: Lighting the Way and the University’s commitment to student success and academic innovation.”

The groundbreaking comes on the heels of the University expanding its geographical footprint, by also acquiring the buildings at 207 and 209 Thomas More Parkway. Select departments are moving to these buildings, allowing for a transition of the Saints Center back to a true student headquarters with enhanced academic and co-curricular spaces. Guiding that transformation, which will begin this summer, Dean of Student Diversity, Engagement, and Success Annabelle Bautista, is leading a Renovation Taskforce consisting of students, faculty, staff, and University cabinet members who are collecting insight from students on how the space can most optimally serve them and promote student success.

For more information about Thomas More University, visit www.thomasmore.edu.

For more information about the Thomas More Alumni and Family Weekend, visit https://www.thomasmore.edu/info-for/alumni/upcoming-events/

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About Thomas More University

For 100 years, Thomas More has created a university for the student who wants to Be More, Do More, Seek More, Win More, Achieve More, and Create More. Since its founding in 1921, Thomas More has provided a mission-driven, liberal arts education that is based in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Students learn to harness the power of human reason to solve problems and discover truth, which allows them to begin the journey to become the person they were created to be. Entering into the second century, it’s time for More. Serving more than 2,000 students, Thomas More aspires to be the premier Catholic university in the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, to build upon the #1 ranking for long term gain in Kentucky (2019 Georgetown study) and share with this generation the transformative power of the Thomas More experience. To find out more, visit thomasmore.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT: Lyna Kelley, director of communications and PR, [email protected], 859.344.3309