by Jim Horinek
Collegian Staff
It has finally arrived.
After two years of watching what was once a bleak piece of asphalt transform into a new state-of-the-art building, the McMahon Centennial Complex (MCC) is up and running. Although the building has been seeing heavy use since its opening at the end of last month, the official dedication ceremony was held last Thursday.
On a large stage just south of the MCC in the Bentley Gardens, being viewed by an audience which numbered in the hundreds, President Ross, Regents Larry Wade and Bill Burgess, CU senior Amanda Finch and other dignitaries came together to officially dedicate the building as the newest addition to the ever-changing campus.
“Two years ago we dreamed of this building and what it would mean to our students and community,” President Ross said. “Today we start making memories in this building. The MCC is not just brick and mortar. Starting today, this building comes alive. In this building people will meet and become friends. In this building people will celebrate life’s momentous events. In this building students will grow, and the future will be molded. And, in this building, life-long memories will be made.”
Speaking on behalf of the entire Cameron family, President Ross continued by expressing gratitude toward the over 250 different corporations and individuals whose generous donations made the building possible.
“Without the extraordinary generosity of our donors, we would not be here today to celebrate the opening of this magnificent building,” President Ross said. “We are truly appreciative of all of our donors who made the dream of a student activities complex come true.”
Finch spoke about how much this building means to students and faculty as well as how grateful Cameron is to the donors who made the completion of the MCC possible.
“I know exactly how much this building means to us,” Finch said. “Now that Student Activities has moved into this building along with the bookstore, food court and much more it will become the center of student life. For that, I sincerely thank each and every one of you who made this possible.”
Now that the complex is open for use it will undoubtedly see many different types of events and occasions. For example, one of the focal points of the new facility is the McCasland Foundation Ballroom. The ballroom, which can house up to 400 guests, is outfitted to handle a whole host of different types of events. In fact, even before the MCC opened its doors, the ballroom was already booked to house several different events. Those events include, nine wedding receptions and five area high school proms.
The culmination of the dedication ceremony featured four different individuals who expressed how they were going to make memories in the MCC. These four took to the Cleo L. Craig Foundation balcony and there they explained how the MCC would impact them.
One of the individuals was, current SGA President, Daniel Brown.
“I can see it now, a room full of students eager to make important changes on campus, to brainstorm on legislation, to debate the issues and make decisions on behalf of the student body,” Brown said. “And now the forum for these great debates is forever changed, I am Daniel Brown the current SGA president and I will always treasure the memories of our meetings here at the MCC.”
Now that it is up and running, it is undeniable that the MCC has changed the face of campus. While speaking during the ceremony State Regent Larry Wade explained that Cameron has come a long way in recent years.
“Cameron University has come from a sleepy regional college here in Lawton, to a great public regional university,” Wade said. “You have this great edifies [the MCC] — hub of campus life. It offers a place where students can socialize, study and play. It is a place where the University can connect students and faculty.”