ELON COLLEGE – The new on-campus football stadium at Elon College will be named Rhodes Stadium in honor of Peggy and Warren (Dusty) Rhodes, of Gibsonville, N.C. The couple announced a $1 million gift to the stadium fund drive in April, and today Elon President Leo M. Lambert announced that the Rhodes are doubling their gift to a total of $2 million. The announcement was made at the annual faculty/staff summer picnic held on the college campus.
“Peggy and Dusty Rhodes have made an amazing commitment to the stadium campaign,” Lambert said. “Their dedication to the college and this project will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the institution. It is appropriate that their gift will be recognized in the name of one of the college’s most prominent facilities.”
Total funds available for the $12.8 million project, including the Rhodes gift and outstanding pledges, currently amount to $10 million.
“We are optimistic that this announcement will propel the stadium campaign to completion,” Lambert said. “The board of trustees will consider the timetable for the project in October, and groundbreaking for Rhodes Stadium could be as early as next spring. The goal is to have the stadium ready for the 2001 football season.”
In announcing the gift, Dusty Rhodes noted that the Campaign for the Elon Vision, the college’s current fund drive, is nearing completion. “Our contribution will help carry Elon College into the 21st century and propel the institution into national prominence in academics and athletics. We are proud and excited to know that thousands of people will be able to come to the Elon campus and Rhodes Stadium and enjoy the excellent programs that have been built through the Elon Vision.”
“Today’s news provides a challenge to all members of the Elon College community to make Rhodes Stadium a reality,” said Athletic Director Alan White. “This project will greatly facilitate our transition to Division I athletics, and will bring all members of our community together on campus for a special game-day experience.”
Peggy and Dusty Rhodes have been active supporters of the college for many years and are among the largest benefactors in Elon College history. The library and main lecture hall in the new McMichael Science Center, several rooms in the new Elon library, and the athletic training room in Koury Center are named in recognition of the Rhodes family contributions. They have also provided educational funding for a scholarship in sports medicine and individual aid for Elon students.
Dusty Rhodes has been a member of the Elon College Board of Trustees since 1997. The Rhodeses’ son, Larry, graduated from Elon in 1986, and their son-in-law, Mike Ford, is a 1984 Elon alumnus.
The Rhodes are natives of Fremont, Ohio. Dusty Rhodes held many positions in education, engineering, communications and the computer industry during his career. In 1988, he joined Cisco Systems Inc., a small start-up company which grew to become the world leader in networking technology and equipment for the Internet. He
managed the company’s first direct sales team in 1989. In 1990, he opened a Cisco sales office in Research Triangle Park, and the couple moved to the Elon College area. He retired in 1992.
The new stadium is part of the Elon Vision, the college’s $80-million strategic plan to ensure continued excellence in the 21st century. The project includes an 8,250-seat bowl-shaped stadium; a bell tower, archway and extensive concourse; expansion of the Koury Field House to provide home and visitors locker rooms; several offices; relocation of the soccer field and expansion of the other practice fields; and construction of additional roads and parking on the site located on the north end of campus. Ellerbe Becket, a worldwide integrated architecture, engineering and construction services firm based in Minneapolis, is project architect.
Elon’s football team currently plays in Burlington Memorial Stadium, which is located several miles from campus at Williams High School in Burlington. An on-campus stadium is a key step in the college’s transition from NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics to Division I-A. All athletic teams except the football team will have full membership in the Big South Conference this fall. The football program will have a Division I-AA independent status.
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