News

Southwestern Names New Residence Facility Winfield Hall,
Announces $150k Matching Gift Challenge

Winfield, Kan. – Southwestern College has announced that the new residence hall currently under construction at the corner of Warren Avenue and Houston Street will be named Winfield Hall.

The naming of the new facility follows the announcement of an anonymous Winfield benefactor’s $100,000 matching gift to the college’s Builder Fund. The gift was made in recognition of Southwestern's importance to the cultural and economic success of Winfield. The generous investment is also intended to encourage additional giving as Southwestern approaches the fiscal year end on June 30. With the support of donors, the college has nearly met the initial match, but an additional matching gift of $50,000 has been committed, again from another member of the Winfield community, who also wishes to spur additional local support for the college.

“The naming of Winfield Hall recognizes the collective support that the college has received and will receive from the community of Winfield through the years – it honors a long tradition of philanthropy and ambassadorship by the people of Winfield,” said Liz Frombgen, Southwestern College President. “Southwestern stands on this hill because the citizens of Winfield worked hard to win the bid for its establishment back in 1885, and then again in 1950 after the college experienced a terrible fire on campus; it was the philanthropic spirit of this community which sustained Southwestern – and even today, in our challenges and successes, we rely on our community to support our college. We are grateful to be a part of Winfield.”

Winfield Hall, a 94-bed, three-story facility, was initiated through Southwestern’s selection by the USDA’s Rural Development Community Facilities direct loan program in 2021. Frombgen, along with members of the Board of Trustees, construction partners representing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Simpson Construction, RDG Planning and Design, and the City of Winfield gathered to officially break ground on the new residence hall on June 22, 2022.  Construction remains on track for students to move in as the new academic year begins in early August. Naming opportunities throughout the residence hall are available. 

“It is difficult to imagine what Winfield might be like without the cultural and economic contributions of  Southwestern College – and it is equally challenging to imagine Southwestern without the support of the Winfield community,” added Kaydee Riggs-Johnson, vice president for advancement, communications, and marketing. “It is exciting to recognize the important role our community plays in the success of Southwestern through the naming of Winfield Hall, especially as we celebrate 150 years of our Winfield. Supporting Southwestern through gifts and ambassadorship strengthens our broader community.”

The college set a goal to raise $1.5 million to benefit the Builder Fund in this fiscal year ending on June 30, compared to a $600,000 goal in the previous year. At present, with the support of generous donors, over $1.4 million has been raised to support the Builder Fund in the '22-'23 year. 

“As we approach the end of our fiscal year, and prepare for a new academic year, meeting the goal of this generous matching gift challenge will make a great difference in the lives of our students, faculty, and staff and to the future of our college,” added Frombgen.

To see the progress of the Builder Fund Matching Challenge or to make a gift visit www.sckans.edu/buildermatch.