The new Stanley O’Brien ’74 Center for Collaboration and Engagement was built on friendship.
David R. Mixer ’74, former trustee, made the gift in honor of his friend, classmate, trustee and mentor.
The center will be dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. during Homecoming and Family Weekend.
It is the first building on Union’s historic campus to be named for an African-American.
On the east side of Admissions at Grant Hall, the 9,000-square-foot building will be a point of entry for thousands of prospective students and families each year. It will serve as a conference center and presentation space. It features a large meeting room with video wall, breakout spaces and offices.
“When I talked to Stan about this, we wanted to have the building be representative of relationships like ours that are built at Union College,” said Mixer, who is managing partner of MiddleLand Capital.
It was O’Brien, retired vice president of BNY Mellon Center, who invited Mixer to join the Board about five years ago. “I was overwhelmed,” said O’Brien about learning of Mixer’s plan to name the center. “I didn’t know how to thank him. So I bought him dinner.”