Covenant Receives $1 Million Grant from Anonymous Foundation

Posted November 16, 2007

Dr. Niel Nielson, president of Covenant College, is delighted to announce that on Thursday, November 8, 2007, the College learned that a foundation, which desires to remain anonymous, has awarded Covenant College a $1 million grant toward the renovation of Carter Hall as part of the BUILD campaign, Covenant’s current $31 million effort.

President Nielson added, “We are so grateful for this grant in support of a beloved landmark. Carter Hall is what brought Covenant College to Chattanooga in 1964 and we want to preserve and celebrate this historic building for our students and also for the community surrounding the College. Carter Hall and its tower can be seen from many places in Chattanooga and the building is an important part of the social and visual history we share with our community. We are committed to preserving that.”

Katie Myers, a student from St. Louis, Missouri, who is in her junior year at Covenant, adds, “I wonder a lot when I’m in Carter about the other people who have lived here before. It’s just got the history that no other building on campus has. It’s a little mysterious, a little intriguing. There’s something really unique about the general feel, even when you walk into the lobby you feel it.”

Castle in the Clouds Carter Hall is a beloved and vital building for Covenant College and for the region. This 78-year old landmark is in need of renovation including work on the student residence space, public areas, major systems, and the building exterior. With great care for historical intent, the College is developing plans to rehabilitate the exterior and interior while also bringing back some original details which many local people will remember from the days when they, their parents, or their grandparents attended events at the Lookout Mountain Hotel.

Carter Hall serves Covenant College as our:

largest residence hall, housing over 30% of our student residents;
dining and catering facility;
main administration building; and
primary hub of student and auxiliary services.

The capital portion of the BUILD campaign funds several major projects, including the Carter Hall renovation, that are designed to enhance the educational experience of each Covenant student.

Vice President for Advancement Troy Duble explains, “BUILD isn’t just about expansion, it’s about stewardship. It’s about improving on our strengths. It’s about taking care of our students and the people in our community. We’re getting a lot of support from a lot of people. It’s exciting.”

The capital projects of the BUILD campaign are well underway. The new residence hall is complete and welcomed its first student residents on August 17. The new academic building is taking shape directly across from Carter Hall. It is slated for occupancy in May 2008. Phase I of the library renovation is complete, and Phase II will begin after the library’s second floor occupants are relocated to the completed academic building. Several of the landscaping and athletic facility projects are underway or nearing completion. Finally, the Carter Hall renovation project is slated to begin in 2008.