Seventy-one years ago this fall, a freshman from Heber Springs arrived at Arkansas Tech with the promise of a work study job that would put $2.50 per month in his pocket.
On Saturday, Sept. 24, that same man cut the ribbon that officially dedicated the second building at Tech named in his honor.
Col. Carl Franklin Baswell, member of the Arkansas Tech Class of 1942, was the guest of honor on Saturday at the dedication ceremony for Baswell Techionery.
The new $4.4 million student union at Arkansas Tech was named in Baswell’s honor in recognition of his generous support of the university.
Baswell Residence Hall was dedicated in his honor in 2007.
The building includes specialty dining options such as Chick-fil-A Express and Which Wich. There is a coffee shop, lounge areas for students to spend their free time and meeting spaces for student organizations.
In addition to the campus community, Baswell Techionery and its dining options are open to the general public each Monday through Saturday.
The name of the facility is a nod to Arkansas Tech history. The original Techionery opened in 1937 and served as the student union until 1959. Today, that building is home to the Arkansas Tech Museum. Photos from the 1940s and 1950s of students enjoying free time in the original Techionery are featured prominently in Baswell Techionery.
Col. Baswell was inducted into the Arkansas Tech Hall of Distinction in 2009. He was the 100th person to be inducted into the Tech Hall of Distinction under the Distinguished Alumnus category.
Click here to learn more about Col. Baswell.
Click here to view more photos from the Baswell Techionery dedication.
Click here to watch video of the dedication.
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