Perkins School of Theology broke ground on the 20,000 square foot Elizabeth Perkins Prothro Hall last Friday. Grad students, alumni, theologians and benefactors gathered to celebrate the school’s expansion.
“This building will give us the physical space to extend our educational opportunities throughout the campus,” said President Gerald Turner. “Today’s groundbreaking could not have been possible without the $6 million gift from the Prothro family.”
Along with the new edifice, the $13 million plan will bring renovations to the Kirby and Selecman Halls. “I couldn’t be more satisfied with the new building plan,” said Perkins Professor Michael Hawn. “It will give us some access to technology that we haven’t had in the past, and it comes complete with preaching and worship labs. The bigger rooms will allow us to provide some seminar style classes and an overall brighter learning environment.”
Professor Hawn directs the Masters Program of Sacred Music and led his 10 grad students in a few African hymns for a pre-groundbreaking worship service. “These instruments that we are playing are marimbas from Zimbabwe. We have weekly worship in Perkins chapel and we wanted to add a Perkins touch to today’s ceremony.” The grad students, clad in Zimbabwean garb, performed four chant-like tunes blended with interpretive dance elements. “We just learned the music last night,” said Hawn.
The new building will be erected at the southern end of the theology school quadrangle, just north of Highland Park United Methodist Church. Various members of the church were vital contributors to the new building. Led by Reverend Mark Craig, HPUMC showed its commitment to the project by sponsoring a dinner that encouraged its members to donate funds.
Kay Yeager, vice president of the Perkins-Prothro foundation said, “This new building will put the school in a position to educate ministers of the United Methodist Church in a time in our world when they are in such desperate need.”
In addition to these gifts, the Texas Methodist foundation contributed $1.4 million to the building campaign. Despite these generous donations, the building is still $2.2 million short of its $13 million goal.
The ceremonial groundbreaking was actualized when the six key speakers, led by President Turner, used shovels to turn up the dirt in a sandbox at the front of the stage. The momentous occasion closed with an eloquent prayer by Master of Divinity student La’Sheena Simmons and a luncheon for all the attendees.
“SMU has never been in a better position, has never been growing faster than right now. These new facilities are a testament to this truth,” said Board of Trustees Chair Carl Sewell.
