Hampden-Sydney College (H-SC) recently announced a $2 million gift from alumnus William L. Pannill to support the next chapter of the college’s 40-year-old rhetoric program: an innovative and collaborative space known as the Center for Rhetoric and Communication.

A press release from the college notes that the Tiger Inn’s fall 2017 move to the Brown Student Center left vacant a well-traveled and centrally located space beneath Pannill Commons. H-SC officials state that plans are underway to transform that space into a state-of-the-art facility that will leverage the success, reputation and resources of the rhetoric program in the service of a truly distinctive academic experience.

The Center for Rhetoric and Communication will not only house the rhetoric program and its faculty members. A writing center, the Ferguson Center for Public Speaking, student publications, the office of undergraduate research and a new center focused on public history are all part of the facility.

“Nothing can be more important than teaching a young man to express himself well,” H-SC President Dr. Larry Stimpert said in the release. “This belief — and the rhetoric program itself — is truly the cornerstone of our academic experience. The creation of the Center for Rhetoric and Communication will place our central academic program in the physical center of campus so that we can build on the remarkable 40-year legacy of our rhetoric program. Employers consistently seek college graduates who are capable of communicating clearly and persuasively, collaborating with others to find solutions and conveying specialized knowledge confidently. This unique, dynamic and highly visible facility will enhance the distinctive value we offer young men.”

The release states that the facility’s design concept marries the vibrant intellectual life inside the space with a freshly landscaped Chalgrove Point, as well as a new dining terrace above. Most walls will be glass, coupling acoustical privacy with visual exposure that invites participation in a variety of activities centered on the practice of communication, from tutoring in rhetoric to editing The Tiger newspaper. H-SC officials further note that the space will include classrooms, a rhetoric studio, presentation practice rooms and shared space in a center ellipse, as well as areas and opportunities for students to implement their communication skills.

“Countless alumni have shared with me the impact of the rhetoric program on their careers,” Stimpert said in the release. “Today’s (Rhetoric Program Exam) Toast reinforces the distinctive power of what we offer. After all, what other college has graduates gathering across the world to toast a rhetoric program? At the same time, we are fortunate to have alumni whose commitment to this college and her future is unwavering.”

“Without the Pannill family’s support, this building would never have been constructed nearly 30 years ago,” Stimpert continued. “And now, thanks to Will’s extraordinary generosity, this former cafe will be transformed into a dynamic, collaborative space that feeds our students’ intellectual curiosity and enables them to discover their own unique voices. I know the entire Hampden-Sydney community joins me in thanking Will for his exceptional and enduring support.”

The generosity of the Pannill family has been felt by Hampden-Sydney students for many years, the school’s release states before providing details. Will’s father, William G. Pannill, was a major supporter of the construction of the college’s dining facility, which was completed in 1991 and named in his honor. More recently, Will’s generosity was instrumental in constructing the Brown Student Center, which was completed in 2017.

School officials noted in the release that construction on the Center for Rhetoric and Communication will begin this summer, with completion expected in the winter. EYP Inc. is providing architectural services for the project, with W.M. Jordan Company, Inc. serving as Construction Manager.

“The momentum for this project started with a $500,000 current-use gift from the trustees,” Chairman of the H-SC Board of Trustees M. Peebles Harrison said in the release. “We encouraged the faculty to develop an ambitious idea that would build on the rhetoric program’s remarkable foundation. I am thrilled with the project they have conceived, and I am grateful to Will Pannill for his generosity and commitment to ensuring this worthy idea becomes a reality for our students.”

As 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of Hampden-Sydney’s celebrated rhetoric program in its current form, the release concluded by citing that planning is currently underway for events later this year to commemorate this milestone.