The Chronicle of Higher Education ran a story this morning about the sparkling new athletics facility at Kenyon College. The institution spent $70 million to build the athletics center, and initially I balked at that many dollars going to a Division III facility. The last thing I want to see is an arms race at the Division III level. But Kenyon created a facility that has transformed the entire campus and benefits more than just student-athletes. About half of the college’s students use the center for intramural sports; prior to its erection, only 100 students were active in the intramural program. It seems to me that this facility has become a focal point on campus and has energized the faculty and student body. Academics, athletics and wellness are all related and this building helps make that a reality.
"We didn't want our varsity teams to go in there and lock the doors. We envisioned a wellness center for everyone on the campus," Doug Zipp, director of the Kenyon College Athletic Center.