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October
28, 2002
Work
Starts on New Athletic Facility
EVANSTON,
Ill. --- A groundbreaking ceremony for the New Harold Anderson Hall
project at Northwestern University was held before the Oct. 26 Homecoming
football game against Purdue.
The
Ron Burton Academic Advising Center, the focal point of the new
Anderson Hall, will occupy an entire wing when the current building
is razed and rebuilt. The center is named for Burton, one of Northwestern's
all-time football greats and a member of College Football's Hall
of Fame.
Burton,
a 1960 graduate who went on to star as a running back for the New
England Patriots, became a million-dollar sales producer for John
Hancock Financial Services in Boston and an executive consultant
in John Hancock's Community Relations Department. Throughout his
life, Burton, a Northwestern Hall-of-Famer, has been an advocate
for numerous charitable causes.
"Ron
Burton embodies everything we think is important in the student-athlete
at Northwestern," said director of athletics Rick Taylor. "He
was a tremendous athlete, a good student and an even better human
being. We've all taken a very personal interest in trying to make
this Center happen."
The
rebuilding of Anderson Hall, which will take place on the building's
current site, will add 8,000 square feet to Anderson Hall and feature
a rooftop patio for game-time and other gatherings.
Computers,
important for student work, will be at the center's core. In addition
to constructing an area that meets the technological needs of the
21st century, the new building will provide space for more than
two dozen computers for student-athletes.
The
Burton Center also will optimize office space for academic advisors
and include several meeting rooms, which will enable the academic
services department to host speakers and job recruiters.
"Ron
was a truly gifted athlete," said Ken Kraft, Northwestern's
senior associate athletic director. "People should know he
really was one of the true football greats. He was a wonderful team
player."
Kraft
also will be honored at the new Anderson Hall, with the Ken Kraft
Wrestling Complex in the facility.
Burton,
Kraft, Taylor and University President Henry S. Bienen spoke at
the groundbreaking ceremony.
Anderson
Hall is named for Harold Anderson, a 1924 graduate and a Life Trustee
whose commitment to the University and its athletic programs spanned
nearly 60 years.
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