In the Spirit of Renewal

Naismith Green June 2011

Naismith Green Spring 2012

On June 1, 2012, we mark the one-year anniversary of the tornadoes that caused devastation in western and central Massachusetts, and damaged our campus. While we have made progress in the past 12 months, our recovery effort is far from complete.

Last fall, we planted 48 new trees—all funded through private donations of alumni and friends of Springfield College—before cold weather arrived. Although this number is a far cry from the hundreds that were lost, it is a good start. Now that we are enjoying milder temperatures, our campus revitalization efforts will resume, guided by a master plan developed with the assistance of several outstanding landscape architects. We anticipate that this restoration project will conclude by the fall of 2013. Once finished, the new trees and other landscape features will be our gift to future generations of Springfield College students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

In the immediate aftermath of the tornadoes, the focus was on the extensive damage to the residence halls, most notably International Hall. This facility felt the brunt of the tornado, but, due to the dedicated work of architects and contractors, an aggressive timetable to replace windows, doors, and furniture, and complete all repairs and painting prior to the beginning of the fall semester was met.

The total cost of the renovation to the residence halls was approximately $7 million dollars—a significant portion of which was covered by insurance. However, none of the tree removal, replacement or planting cost is covered by insurance, so this will be an expensive project.

We invite you to help us in the Spirit of Renewal. Gifts to Spirit of Renewal will go toward the restoration of our campus, including the landscaping features and other structures as needed.

You can make a donation by clicking here and selecting Spirit of Renewal under My Gift.