Members of the Heidelberg University community gathered Friday morning to dedicate Media Communication Center.
President Robert Huntington said dedication days are rewarding and enjoyable.
"We are building momentum. We are growing stronger. We are becoming a better Heidelberg," he said.
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PHOTO BY JILL GOSCHE
Trustee Doug Stephan, who helped initiate the Media Communication Center project, speaks during the dedication ceremony Friday morning.
The 2,300-square-foot Media Communication Center is in Krieg Residence Hall and hosts WHEI-FM, WHEI-TV and WTTF, according to information from Heidelberg.
Heidelberg trustees Doug Stephan and Tony Paradiso announced plans in October 2008 to transfer ownership of WTTF to Heidelberg.
"It isn't just for a small few; it's for all," Stephan said about the center.
Stephan's career in radio started at WTTF, and he now is the host of the "Good Day" talk radio show.
He said what came out of the idea for Media Communication Center was more than he originally thought it would be.
"This ... is a great testament to how the mind works, and you can create from your mind pretty much anything you want to. ... Ideas are extraordinarily important," he said.
Paradiso, vice president with Maumee Valley Fabricators Inc., was born in Tiffin and spent most of his adult life here. He said he always has had an affinity for Heidelberg.
He said when he and Stephan took the idea of the center to the administration, there was excitement among alumni with questions about how they could help and how they could do more.
Tiffin and Seneca County have benefited from the project, he said.
"It is truly locally owned and operated," he said.
David Weininger, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the event marked an exciting time in Heidelberg's history.
"This truly is an innovative project," he said.
Samantha Kinkopf, a Heidelberg senior from Chardon studying communication and theater arts, said the new facility has created an endless amount of opportunities for students, and she is relieved she no longer has to climb three flights of stairs to the previous media center in Founders Hall.
"We would like to thank alumni, staff, faculty and friends of the Heidelberg community for making this renovation possible," she said.
Gary Dickerson, director of media studies and professor of communication, said he could not be happier with the choice of leadership. Jeff Pfister is the director of Media Communication Center.
"Heidelberg has always been about people," Dickerson said. "Through the years, people have always been our most consistent and reliable asset."
