Mount Breaks Ground On
William G. Mcgowan Student Center

Mount St. Mary’s College will break ground on the William G. McGowan Student Center, the most ambitious and anticipated capital project since the Knott ARCC was built in 1987. On Monday, March 12, at 12:30 p.m. the McGowan Student Center, a major renovation and addition to the Cogan Student Union Building will take the first step from blueprints to reality when Mount community members, friends and Trustees gather to shovel the first dirt. His Eminence William Cardinal Keeler, archbishop of Baltimore and Mount Board member, will bless the site.

Named in honor of the late William G. McGowan, founder of MCI, the McGowan Center will combine a 43,500-square-foot renovation of the existing Cogan Student Union Building with a 36,500 square-foot addition, creating a vibrant, attractive building that will ultimately become the hub of student life on the Mount St. Mary's campus.

The McGowan Center will provide students with a gathering place that includes student activities offices, a graphics computer lab, centralized student services (such as the relocated Wellness and Career Centers) and expanded dining options that better fit the way students work and live.

The Center’s renovation will begin in the spring, with occupancy of some parts of the new building as early as the fall 2001 semester. Construction will be ongoing with an expected completion date of spring 2002.

The existing Cogan Student Union Building will be renamed Cogan Hall, to honor the memory of Fr. John "Spike" Cogan, former Mount priest and faculty member, for his generosity and dedication, and to preserve Cogan family name as an integral part of Mount history.

The McGowan Center is one of the crowning achievements of Connections: The Campaign for the Mount, an ambitious, multidimensional campaign that surpassed its $30 million goal in December 1999. The campaign officially closes in June, and fundraising efforts are now being focused on raising additional dollars for the McGowan Center. If you would like to support the Mount in this important initiative, please call 301-447-5772.