Perseverance has long been a defining characteristic of Arkansas Tech University and its people.
As of Wednesday, March 18, a visible and lasting testament to that quality — one made of brick, steel, glass and 12 years of dreams — is now open in the center of campus.
Ferguson Student Union was celebrated by ATU students, faculty, staff, alumni and supporters during a dedication and grand opening on Wednesday. It was the culmination of a process that began in 2014, survived a global pandemic and became a 69,990-square foot facility that will be the focal point of campus life at Arkansas Tech for generations to come.
“Ferguson Student Union is a place where Arkansas Tech students will grow into the best version of themselves,” said Stephanie Duffield of Russellville, ATU alumna and chair of the ATU Board of Trustees. “As a result of this increase in connectedness, Arkansas Tech students will feel a greater sense of affection for and loyalty to their alma mater far beyond graduation day. Ferguson Student Union is a transformative building for Arkansas Tech. I look forward to everything that our professional staff in student affairs and our student leadership will do to maximize this exciting new resource. ATU students, welcome to your new home: Ferguson Student Union.”
Ferguson Student Union provides student meeting spaces, lounge spaces for students to enjoy during their free time, fast casual dining, an e-sports gaming lab, basketball courts, a location to check out outdoor recreation gear and workout areas for cardiovascular and strength fitness training.
It is named for Cindi and Jimmy Ferguson, who made the lead gift in support of the construction of the facility. Mr. Ferguson served on the student affairs staff at Arkansas Tech from 1975-94 before he and his wife went on to success as McDonald’s franchise owners and operators in central Texas.
“This was my home for 19 years,” said Mr. Ferguson. “As a staff member here, I grew as an individual. My beliefs, my trade and my role within society were born here at Arkansas Tech University. So many of the students who were here at that time are back today, and the success they have had in their lives and in their communities is what we are all about.
“I am very excited for the current students to see your new home…the living room of this campus,” continued Mr. Ferguson. “This facility as a physical building is very impressive, but what’s most important is what is going to take place inside on a daily basis. Students will be able to manage their health, their physical needs, their social needs, develop friendships, work within organizations, develop leadership and understand the society of today and tomorrow. For all the students…remember that you always have a home here at Arkansas Tech University.”
Specific spaces inside Ferguson Student Union include the Bibler Conference Center, the Deward and Anne Dopson Recreation Center, the Travis Adams Leadership Room, the T.J. Ferguson Meeting Room, the Steve Lawrence Involvement Center, the Benny and LaVel Harris Terrace, the Sunderland Lounge, the Dave Pinson Fraternity and Sorority Leadership Councils Office, the Charles A. Frueauff Foundation First-Generation Resource Center, the William H. Bowen Family Foundation Lounge, Luke and Stephanie Duffield Court, Andy and Julie McNeill Court, the Brent and Jeni Garrett Student Government Association Office, the Bryce J. Mobley Coordinator of Student Involvement Office and the John and Leigh Whiteside Student Activities Board Office.
Mullens Plaza, supported by the philanthropy of the late Annette and Bert Mullens, is a new pedestrian area located outside the front doors of Ferguson Student Union. Mullens Plaza includes a grove of trees provided by Robert Norman and his family.
The idea for Ferguson Student Union was brought forward by former ATU President Dr. Robin E. Bowen during her visit to campus as a candidate for the presidency in 2014.
Three years later, the ATU Board of Trustees adopted a campus master plan that prioritized the construction of a student union and recreation center.
Miller Boskus Lack of Fayetteville was selected as the lead architecture firm for the project in 2019. SmithGroup was identified as an assisting firm.
At the outset of the fall 2019 semester, ATU students were provided with opportunities to give the architects feedback on what they needed and wanted in the student union and recreation center. With that feedback in hand, initial plans were developed.
Then came March 2020 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As it did for every other aspect of our university and our society, the pandemic paused our planning for the student union and recreation center,” said Dr. Russell Jones, ATU president. “But it did more than that. If shifted students’ priorities and needs relative to the new facility.”
By the end of the spring 2022 semester, ATU had largely returned to standard operating procedures. The conversation with student leaders about the student union and recreation center resumed, and Kinco Constructors was selected as project contractor in December 2022. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place on March 16, 2023.
“When the ATU Board of Trustees asked me to become interim president in August 2023, one of my top priorities was to aid in finalizing the facility plan and move us toward beginning the construction process,” said Jones. “Student input was foremost in our consideration. I want to take a moment to express special thanks to the members of the student planning committee that we worked with during the 2023-24 academic year. That group of students provided invaluable feedback that helped us bring this project to fruition.
“Together, we finalized the building plans and construction began in earnest on July 8, 2024,” continued Jones. “And now, here we are…and what a place this is to be.”
The Ferguson Student Union dedication and grand opening ceremony — an event that was 12 years in the making — took place exactly 1,200 days after site preparation began on Dec. 5, 2022.
“At Arkansas Tech, we are in the life-changing business, and this building will help us change even more lives,” said Amy Pennington, ATU vice president for student affairs. “Opening the doors of the Ferguson Student Union is a major milestone for our students. Our students have helped mold and shape this building from day one, and it’s our students who will bring it life for generations to come. Ferguson Student Union will serve as the living room of our campus…a place where students will gather, build friendships, engage in organizations and create memories that will last a lifetime. For current students and those who follow, this building, and the beautiful plaza we enjoy right now, will be a hub for connection, involvement and a place of tremendous green and gold pride.”
