As an alumna of Arkansas Tech University and someone who has been involved in the planning of Ferguson Student Union for the past six years, Chelsea Neal understands the effect the new facility will have on campus.
“It is truly what dreams are made of,” said Neal, ATU associate dean for campus life and director of Ferguson Student Union. “I think back to being a student here and how that building would have changed everything I did as a student leader on this campus. Now, as the associate dean for campus life, it’s about how we can program for our students and make that a home for them. It’s been a lot of work to get to this point, but walking in there every day…I can’t wait for students to be in there, fill that space, be loud and own it. It’s their home, and I want them to own that space.”
Arkansas Tech will celebrate the grand opening of Ferguson Student Union at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, on the front steps of the building, which is located immediately south of Chambers Cafeteria on the ATU campus in Russellville. The public is invited to attend.
“Ferguson Student Union is unlike anything that has previously existed at Arkansas Tech University,” said Dr. Russell Jones, ATU president. “It is the result of many years of thoughtful planning and input from our students and our professional staff in student affairs. Ferguson Student Union, in combination with the Mullens Plaza and forthcoming improvements to the Hindsman Tower lawn, will enhance Arkansas Tech’s reputation as having one of the most beautiful university campuses in the region. I am excited for everyone to see Ferguson Student Union on March 18 and for our students, faculty and staff to begin utilizing a facility that will make us a more connected and healthier campus.”
Ferguson Student Union is named for Jimmy Ferguson, his wife Cindi and their family. Mr. Ferguson served on the ATU staff from 1975-94, advancing to the rank of assistant vice president and dean of students.
While at ATU, Mr. Ferguson was elected president of the Arkansas College Personnel Association in 1982. He served the National Association for Campus Activities as the chairman of the board of directors. He held an appointment by Gov. Bill Clinton to the Arkansas Governor’s Advisory Council on Volunteerism.
Since completing his service to ATU and entering the private sector, Mr. Ferguson and his family have owned and operated more than 30 McDonald’s franchises in central Texas over a span of three decades. He has held numerous national and regional leadership positions with the McDonald’s organization.
Mullens Plaza, which is situated between Ferguson Student Union, Chambers Cafeteria and Baswell Techionery, is named for the late Annette and Bert Mullens of Russellville, both of whom were Arkansas Tech alumni. The foundation established in their names provides scholarships for full-time students majoring in education at Arkansas Tech who graduated from either Russellville High School or Pottsville High School.
One aspect of Mullens Plaza is a grove of trees donated by ATU alumnus Robert Norman of Tulsa, Okla., and his family.
Additional donors recognized inside Ferguson Student Union for their support of the project include Laurie Bibler Terry and the late James Bibler, Cynthia and Charles Blanchard, the William H. Bowen Family Foundation, Kim and Mark Dopson, Stephanie and Luke Duffield, the Frueauff Foundation, Jeni and Brent Garrett, LaVel and the late Benny Harris, Julie and Andy McNeill, Carol and the late Bryce Mobley, LeAnn and Dave Pinson, the Sunderland Foundation and Leigh and John Whiteside.
“We want that wow factor when everyone sees it for the first time,” said Neal. “We want to showcase to our alumni and our donors how much their support has meant to get us to the place we’re at. There are so many students who have played a role in getting us to where we are with that building that are not students anymore. They’ve gone on and graduated, and I hope they come back that day so they can see their work mattered.”
Construction of Ferguson Student Union began in July 2024.
Kinco Constructors created Ferguson Student Union at a contracted price of $33,946,865. That figure includes the cost of demolishing the Administration Building and Tomlinson Hall, constructing Ferguson Student Union and developing the parking lot on the south side of the new building.
“Kinco Constructors is proud of the work our team performed on the Ferguson Student Union project,” said Clay Gordon, Kinco Constructors president. “Through collaboration with Arkansas Tech University and our partners on this project, we have created a facility that will enhance the educational experience for Arkansas Tech students today and for generations to come. Ferguson Student Union stands as a testament to how Kinco Constructors sets the highest standards for our work across diverse industry sectors.”
Ferguson Student Union was designed by MBL Architecture.
“As the architect-of-record for the Ferguson Student Union, MBL Architecture wanted to honor the rich heritage of ATU and set it up for generations to come with a fully-integrated interior to exterior design of spaces,” said Audy Lack, principal at MBL Architecture. “That’s why we assembled the team with SmithGroup, with their beautiful knowledge of collegiate recreation centers and student union spaces, and Ground Control landscape architecture, for their craft in creating modern outside spaces. With these key teammates, we were able to create a unified design which flows through the disparate functions of the Ferguson Student Union and out into the functional outdoor spaces of the new Mullens Plaza.”
Kalman Nagy, architect at SmithGroup, was part of the design team.
“The Ferguson Student Union serves as a defining gateway to the university and a central hub for student life,” said Nagy. “We designed the building to create a welcoming sequence of spaces, beginning with a new pedestrian plaza meant to gather students from across campus and a terraced front porch overlooking the tree-lined landscape. Inside, the main entry acts as an open invitation to student union programming and a new campus recreation center, showcasing everything from e-sports to group fitness. This central ‘living room’ helps students quickly see how they can connect and find their place within campus life at ATU.”
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. The facility encompasses 69,990 square feet.
“We saw a need on campus to create a living room of campus, but also that well-being side of things with our campus recreation center being housed inside Ferguson Student Union,” said Neal. “It’s going to hit a lot of different marks for our students. Everything we did when we were looking at different aspects of this building was about making it the most student-friendly we could.”
