Mankato, Minn. – Minnesota State University, Mankato will officially open the doors to its newly renovated Ostrander Auditorium at a public celebration Thursday, Oct. 29.
The 7 p.m. grand opening event will include brief presentations from President Richard Davenport, the Ostrander renovation planning committee and student union directors.
The $1.6 million renovation included replacement of all 350 seats, a new stage and curtains, new maple wall panels and a new heating and air conditioning system. One new feature provides wheelchair accessibility into the auditorium. Technological upgrades are equally dramatic, with new lighting, a new surround sound system, audio and video conferencing capabilities and increased wireless connectivity.
“The renovations help reflect the spirit and vitality of the university,” Centennial Student Union Director Laurie Woodward said, noting that Ostrander is the first indoor space that incoming students see during orientation.
“In essence the room was stripped down to the bricks and girders and totally rebuilt so that it can serve the campus effectively for next 40 years,” said Centennial Student Union Operations Director Scott Hagebak.
“The space will be a much better reflection of the university,” Woodward added. “It should be an asset to help with recruiting new students, hosting visiting lectures and be a comfortable and inviting auditorium for campus use.”
Thursday’s grand opening will showcase the new technical capabilities of the Centennial Student Union space. It will feature a portion of the first production ever held at Ostrander, the play “Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” to be performed by the Theatre & Dance Department with guitarist Jonathan Moeller. The evening will conclude with a reception and tours of the new facility.
Renovation funds came from the Centennial Student Union budget, derived primarily from student fees that have been set aside for years in preparation for the improvements. The renovations are the first since the late 1990s, and enhance the auditorium’s continuity with the rest of Centennial Student Union, which was enlarged and reconstructed in 2005.
Ostrander Auditorium, built in 1972, was named after 1927 graduate Lloyd Ostrander.
U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford have spoken there, and the popular space plays host each year to a wide range of speakers, concerts, theatrical productions and conferences, as well as freshman orientation.
Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive, doctoral university with 14,950 students and two satellite sites, is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, which comprises 32 institutions across the state.
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