The $35 million campus center slated to open on campus next fall will honor the college’s second-longest-serving president, Richard Warch, who led the college from 1979-2004, and his wife, Margot.
During the public launch of the More Light! campaign October 17, William Hochkammer, co-chair of the campaign, announced that the 107,000 square-foot building will be named the Richard and Margot Warch Campus Center.
“The Richard and Margot Warch Campus Center will be a destination for the entire Lawrence community — students, staff, faculty and alumni,” Hochkammer said. “It is fitting that the college’s principal meeting place be named in honor of the Warches. Rik was a strong advocate for the importance of personal interaction outside of the classroom to a liberal education. Rik and Margot personally contributed greatly to strengthening the Lawrence community.”
Warch expressed excitement both about the campus center’s impending completion as well as it bearing his name.
“The campus center project has been on Lawrence’s agenda for nearly 20 years, and I had the privilege of dealing with it for 15 of them,” said Warch. “There were many starts and stops along the way as we sought consensus. I commend President Beck and the Board of Trustees for figuring out how to proceed. It is a great honor for both of us to have our names on this magnificent building. I’m especially grateful to the anonymous donor for this great generosity and recognition.”
An anonymous donor made the campus center a reality in 2007 with a $16 million gift toward the project, the largest gift in Lawrence history. The four—story building showcases the scenic beauty of its location with striking vistas of the Fox River and vast, light—filled spaces. Features include:
- dining services and catering facilities
- a convenience store and café
- a cinema similar to commercial movie theaters
- a logo merchandise store
- the campus post office
- meeting space for students and student groups
- venues for major campus events
President Beck expressed two points of pride about the campus center: that “it is named for Richard and Margot Warch, who brought so much distinction to Lawrence over the years, ” and that it is being built to LEED “Silver” certification standards” to reduce its impact on the environment.
Warch came to Lawrence in 1977 from Yale University, where he spent a year as associate dean. After two years as Lawrence’s vice president for academic affairs, he was named president in 1979.
During his 25-year tenure, Warch was a steadfast and articulate advocate for the residential liberal arts college model of education.
Among his most important legacies were the creation of the weekend student seminar program at Björklunden, Lawrence’s 425-acre “northern campus” in Door County and the establishment of Björklunden as an integral part of the Lawrence educational experience.
After leaving Lawrence, Warch was honored with the Campus Compact Presidential Civic Leadership Award and been appointed by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle to the state Ethics Board. He currently serves as the chair of the board of Door Shakespeare, a summer stock theater that performs at Björklunden.
Margot Warch also spent a lengthy career in education, teaching for 27 years at Fox Valley Technical College.
The Warches are spending their retirement in Door County, Wisconsin.
