Hesby Atrium dedicated at Texas A&M’s Kleberg Animal and Food Sciences Center
COLLEGE STATION – Several hundred faculty, former students and friends of the department of animal science took part in a dedication ceremony for the new Howard Hesby Student Atrium held recently at the Kleberg Animal and Food Sciences Center at Texas A&M University.
Kay Hesby, wife of the late Dr. Howard Hesby, gave reflections during a dedication ceremony recently for the new Howard Hesby Student Atrium at the Kleberg Animal and Food Sciences Center at Texas A&M University. (Texas AgriLife Communications photo by Blair Fannin)
Hesby was a professor in animal science at Texas A&M for 35 years and influenced more than 15,000 students as a teacher, advisor and mentor, said Dr. Russell Cross, professor and interim department head.
“One hundred percent of the construction has been paid by donations to the Hesby project,” Cross told attendees. “We’ve received $600,000 in cash and pledges, and we’ve got $400,000 more to go. It’s simply a beautiful space.”
Prior to his death in 2005, Hesby and others were working to provide animal science students a place to study in the Kleberg building after a renovation in 2004 removed the existing lounge.
The new space provides lounge chairs and sofas, tables and chairs, and a bar with stools for seating up to 100. New lighting and electrical plugs were installed throughout as well as five high-definition monitors for departmental news and announcements. The lobby wall was treated with a wood veneer and now displays plaques recognizing the top donors.
The project will continue with another phase of construction to the north side of the Kleberg building, which will feature a large trophy case, a bronze statue of Hesby and other improvements.
The dedication event featured special remarks from Jim Schwertner, Texas A&M University System Regent; former students Dr. Chris Boleman, who also served as moderator, Steven Lastovic and Chad Fisher; and former colleague Dr. Dudley Smith. Kay Hesby gave reflections on her husband’s career at Texas A&M and expressed deep thanks to the generosity of individuals at the university and Texans abroad. She recalled one of her husband’s field trips with students to a working farm operation in West Texas.
The dedication event featured several speakers. (From left) Former students Chad Fisher, Dr. Chris Boleman, Steven Lastovica, Texas A&M University System Regent Jim Schwertner, and former colleague Dr. Dudley Smith. (Texas AgriLife Communications photo by Blair Fannin)
“Someone donated a two-night stay at a West Texas YMCA,” she told attendees. “Only something like that could happen at Texas A&M and in Texas.”
For further information regarding the Hesby Student Atrium project or to provide a financial contribution, call 979-845-1543, or contact Monica Delisa, senior director of development for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, at 979-847-9314 or email m-delisa@tamu.edu.
For more information about the atrium project, visit http://animalscience.tamu.edu/hesby-atrium .
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