Dickinson Celebrates Grand Opening of John M. Paz '78 Alumni & Family Center
Paz Center ribbon cutting video image
video by Joe O'Neill
New donor-funded center offers alumni, families an on-campus home
Dickinson recently celebrated the grand opening of the John M. Paz '78 Alumni & Family Center, as John Paz ’78, his wife, Rachel, and his children, Wesley and Vivienne, cut the ribbon to officially open the doors of this new state-of-the-art facility. The Paz Center greatly enhances Dickinson’s ability to engage alumni and families, providing a permanent welcome space, a place to stay while visiting campus and a premiere venue for events, lifelong learning opportunities, networking and more.
“This is a truly new day for alumni engagement at Dickinson College,” said President John E. Jones ’77, P’11. “This beautiful structure has been a project long in the making, and the final result is really spectacular.”
The center came to fruition through an entirely donor-funded effort to renovate the college’s Historic President’s House. The project was kicked off by Paz’s leadership gift and supported by gifts from roughly 1,000 Dickinson alumni and parents.
“Until today, Dickinson didn't have a dedicated alumni and family center that could be called home,” said Board of Trustees Chair Doug Pauls ’80, who also supported the project. “Now we do.”
Paz was motivated to fund the project in part because of the positive momentum he saw at Dickinson under President Jones’s leadership. Now, he’s eager to see the center continue that momentum by fostering connections among alumni and the college.
“I hope that the house provides a venue and a place for people to come and drive that energy forward,” Paz said. “I know when my guys and I are staying here tonight, we're going to have a ball, and we always did. That spirit, that kindred sort of thing, needs to be re-instilled, and I hope the alumni house can help us.”
Emeritus Trustee and fellow Paz Center donor Jim Chambers ’78, who also spoke at the grand opening, agreed. “This building reflects the positive momentum of the college and defines that the future of the college is dependent on an engaged alumni,” he said.
Perhaps more important, the new center also makes a clear statement that every alum is truly a Dickinsonian for life and will always have a home on campus. As Alumni Council College Engagement Committee Chair and fellow Paz Center supporter Julie Levin Alexander ’80, P’19, put it, “As we officially open the center, may I say to all alumni and family here, welcome home.”
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Published May 13, 2024