The Kent Campus Center opened in October and quickly took its place and the central meeting place and crown jewel of the Simpson College campus.

More than 450 donors contributed the $14 million necessary for the building, which included a $4 million gift from the James H. Kent family in Muscatine, the largest outright gift from a living donor in Simpson's history.

The student center includes several restaurants, including Au Bon pain and Red Mango, as well as the college bookstore and the Principal Black Box Theatre. The second floor features Hubbell Hall and space for several Simpson offices.

At the dedication ceremony for the center, Simpson President John Byrd said the story of the center is just beginning.

“So far, it’s a story about a vision for the future, a story about an institution and its values, a story about adaptability. It’s a story about perseverance and commitment and it is a story about legacy and the resolve of one generation to leave something for the next. The story of this building will continue to unfold in the days and years ahead as lives are changed and lives are made better by the students whose days have been shaped by so much of what happens in these spaces.”

Read about the Kent Campus Center Grand Opening Celebration