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A Harbinger of Change:
New Beckerman Recreation Center a Testament to Transformation at UNH
West Haven, Conn., Feb. 11, 2008 - The gleaming $15.5 million David A. Beckerman Recreation Center-visible from the Boston Post Road through floor-to-ceiling glass windows-serves as a metaphor for the transformation that has taken place at the University of New Haven (UNH) in recent years and a beacon to the future of the University. At 10 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 11, UNH students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends will gather at the Beckerman Center to celebrate the opening of this impressive facility and herald the remarkable changes implemented by UNH President Steven Kaplan in the past four years.
UNH is now one of the top study abroad providers in the nation, with students from universities across the country studying through its programs. Its unique curriculum in which students put classroom learning to work in real-world settings has earned the University the distinction of the Northeast Center for Experiential Education. The feasibility of a new law school for the I-95 corridor is being researched. And, UNH has been accepted into the Northeast-10 Athletic Conference and football is returning.
New buildings include a new 120,000 sq. ft., 400-bed student housing complex-slated to begin construction in May 2008, and The Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, with a public museum and learning center, classrooms, laboratories and offices. Also on the drawing board is the Science and Engineering University Magnet School for grades 6-12.
President Kaplan notes that the support of alumni such as David Beckerman ‘66 is crucial in making the University's vision of becoming a top-tier school a reality. "By making the Beckerman Center a reality, David Beckerman has ensured that the momentum of the renaissance taking place at UNH will continue to thrive," Kaplan says.
The Beckerman Recreation Center features state-of-the-art exercise equipment, a gymnasium with courts for sports including rollerblading, roller hockey, volleyball, basketball and indoor soccer, and an illuminated glass-enclosed running track. The fitness center includes a multi-purpose room for a variety of activities including yoga, step aerobics and Pilates, racquetball courts, lounges, locker rooms and a juice bar.
Beckerman is the former founder and chair, president and CEO of Starter Corp. and current chairman of the Acorn Group. An active alumnus, he was a member of the University's Board of Governors from 1995 through 2004, chair of the Athletics Committee, and inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame with the Alumni Award of Excellence. He holds a business degree and an honorary doctorate from the University of New Haven and has been the recipient of the UNH Outstanding Service commendation. Beckerman spearheaded the renovation of the Robert B. Dodds Stadium seating and has been a major catalyst in elevating the Department of Athletics' fundraising efforts. In addition, the Beckerman Foundation has endowed athletic scholarships at UNH.
"With the tremendous growth that has taken place at UNH it has become abundantly clear that we are a residential university," Beckerman says. "It was vitally important that we have an understanding of students' needs and add amenities such as a recreation center." Noting that lending their support to the creation of the Beckerman Center has proven a joy to his family, he adds, "I hope that other alumni who are willing to be catalysts for continued growth at UNH will step forward, it's a team effort."
A leader in experiential education, the University of New Haven provides its students with a unique combination of solid liberal arts and real-world, hands-on professional training. A private University founded in 1920, UNH has a full-time undergraduate enrollment of more than 2,400 students-with 70 percent residing on its 80-acre main campus-and a graduate school enrollment that exceeds 1,700. The University offers more than 80 undergraduate degrees and more than 25 graduate degrees through its four colleges, in fields such as sports management, nutrition, forensic science, music and sound recording, engineering, computer science and criminal justice. University College at UNH develops programs and courses to meet the emerging educational and training needs of educators, businesses and public and social agencies, focusing on academic excellence, convenience and flexibility. University of New Haven students study abroad through a variety of distinctive programs.
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