FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 19, 2009

Contact:  Robert Preston, Jr.,
              912.260.4276
              robert.preston@sgc.edu

SGC’s Clower Center Wins State Recognition

South Georgia College’s Clower Center received the 2009 Innovations Award from the Georgia Association of State Facilities Administrators at that organization’s fall conference in Atlanta. GASFA presented the award to South Georgia College for the successful renovation and repurposing of the historic facility on the campus. Built in 1936, the Clower Center served for decades as a gymnasium, a recreation area, and later a storage facility. The idea to redesign and restore the building as a student life center emerged as part of the college’s master planning effort. The students of SGC passed a referendum to assess themselves the fee that financed the completion and operation of the Clower Center. The facility was ready in time for the opening of fall semester 2007, and it serves as a student life center for residential and commuting students.

Architect Tony Aeck of Lord, Aeck, and Sargent gave an overview of the project to those in attendance at the GASFA conference. He commended the college for its innovative use of a strategically placed campus resource.

The Center was named for T. A. Clower, who taught education and other classes at South Georgia College from 1928 until 1954. In addition to his teaching assignments, he coached tennis teams that won state titles. Professor Clower's daughter, Annie Frances Clower Moorman, was among those attending the 2007 groundbreaking for the renovation of this facility and the construction of the neighboring Tiger Village residence hall. Mrs. Moorman graduated from SGC in 1933, and completed a teaching career at SGC after having also taught English in the public school system.

SGC President Virginia Carson noted that this honor for the Clower Center follows the Preservation Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation presented in May 2009 by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. “These awards are outstanding examples of the exciting things that are happening at South Georgia College,” stated Dr. Carson.

The Georgia Association of State Facilities Administrators is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing and enhancing the leadership, education and professionalism of facility managers employed in the state government of Georgia.

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is a two-year institution in the University System of Georgia. Located in Douglas, Ga., the college's environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty.