RUSSELLVILLE — Arkansas Tech University and Kinco Constructors will host a topping out ceremony for the $33.9 million Ferguson Student Union at 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Attendance will be open to the public. Those in attendance will have an opportunity to sign the final steel beam before it is put in place atop the facility. Refreshments will be served in Chambers Cafeteria West Dining Room following the ceremony.
Construction on Ferguson Student Union on its Russellville campus began last year after the ATU Board of Trustees accepted the guaranteed maximum price for building the facility during its meeting on June 20.
Kinco Constructors submitted a final price of $33,946,865 for the project. That figure includes the cost of demolishing the Administration Building and Tomlinson Hall, constructing Ferguson Student Union and parking lot development on the south side of the new building
Parking for the event will be in the lot between Rothwell Hall and Doc Bryan Student Services Center with overflow in the Tucker Coliseum parking lot. Golf cart shuttles to and from the ceremony site will be available.
Those unable to attend the ceremony who wish to sign the steel beam may do so from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday through the ceremony at 2 p.m. that afternoon. The beam will be located on the east side of the construction site near Rothwell Hall and Dr. Robert Charles Brown and Jill Lestage Brown Hall.
Construction of Ferguson Student Union began in July 2024 and is scheduled to be complete in early 2026.
Located on the parcel of land between Chambers Cafeteria and the Hull Physical Education Building, Ferguson Student Union is named for ATU benefactors Cindi and Jimmy Ferguson.
Ferguson Student Union will provide student meeting spaces, lounge spaces for students to enjoy during their free time, fast casual dining, an e-sports gaming lab, basketball courts, a location to check out outdoor recreation gear and workout areas for cardiovascular and strength fitness training.
Editorial
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — A major event aimed at raising awareness and funding cancer research in Arkansas is coming up this weekend.
The 6th Annual Be a Part of the Cure Walk benefits the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, helping fund cancer research, clinical trials, and long-term survival studies, with every dollar raised staying in Arkansas.
Joining us this morning are Elizabeth Birrer, co-chair of the walk, and Lesley Murphy, this year’s emcee.
Murphy, a professional travel journalist, has shared her own cancer prevention journey after undergoing a preventative double mastectomy at UAMS when genetic testing revealed she carried the BRCA2 gene. She now uses her experience to help educate and raise awareness about cancer prevention.
The walk is designed to bring the community together, survivors, families, and supporters, while highlighting the importance of research and patient care. Participants can expect a day of walking, activities, and opportunities to learn more about the institute’s ongoing work.
Online registration is available at here and closes at 6:30 p.m. Friday, May 1st. In-person registration opens at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2nd at War Memorial Stadium, Gate 1.
Every dollar raised during the event directly supports research and clinical studies here in Arkansas, helping to advance treatment and improve outcomes for patients across the state.
The 6th Annual Be a Part of the Cure Walk is a community effort that combines awareness, education, and support, all focused on the fight against cancer.
Wally Hall
Wally Hall is assistant managing sports editor for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A graduate of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock after an honorable discharge from the U.S. Air Force, he is a member and past president of the Football Writers Association of America, member of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, past president and current executive committee and board member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, and voter for the Heisman Trophy. He has been awarded Arkansas Sportswriter of the Year 10 times and has been inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and Arkansas Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame.
South Carolina vs TCU predictions for Elite Eight game in March Madness
1 teenage girl killed, another injured in shooting at Piedmont Park, police say
Skier dies after fall at Sugarbush Resort
Vaazha 2 first half review: Hashir anchors a lively, chaos-filled teen tale
Trump’s Ballroom Design Has Barely Been Scrutinized
Fetishist ‘No Kings’ protester in mask drags ‘Trump’ and ‘JD Vance’ behind her wheelchair
Inside Ye’s first comeback show at SoFi Stadium
JD Vance says he was ‘obsessed’ with UFOs, believes aliens are actually ‘demons’