Centennial Projects

Centennial Gateway

For decades, members of the Aurora University community have envisioned construction of a monumental entrance to the campus off of Prairie Street. Now, as a result of the institution’s successful effort to purchase properties south of the existing campus, the time is right to build such an entry at the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Prairie Street. The gateway structure will feature AU’s signature red brick and red tile and include a wrought iron element spanning the roadway into the campus.

The total cost of the campus gateway will be $220,000. The individual monuments that delineate the corners of the campus will each cost $32,000 to erect. The existing brick and stone column that sits at the corner of Gladstone Avenue and Marseillaise Place will be preserved in keeping with our commitment to cherishing the past.

Welcome Center

As visitors to Aurora University pass through the Centennial Gateway marking the entrance to the campus, they will approach the new Aurora University Welcome Center. This 21,000-square-foot brick, stone and tile building will serve several vital purposes. One wing of the structure will house a reception and office center for our admission and alumni offices and feature dining and gathering spaces for university events. The other wing of the building will house the Schingoethe museum with collections and exhibits oriented around a large central art gallery. The two wings will be connected by a central archway that will guide visitors into the sculpture garden located in the rear courtyard of the structure. With its gracious public spaces and location near Crimi Auditorium and Perry Theatre, the new Welcome Center will be a popular place for receptions and dinners before and after university events.

The total cost for the Welcome Center is $7 million.

Addition to the Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action

Our third centennial project calls for construction of an addition to the Wackerlin Center for Faith and Action located on the corner of Prairie Street and Evanslawn Avenue. The existing Wackerlin structure was designed originally as a home by the Chicago firm of Keck and Keck and finds its inspiration in the work of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Over the past two years, the university has refurbished the home to create spaces for our campus ministry, servant leadership and community service functions. With its large living room and ample front yard, the center has proven to be a popular addition to the campus for students and faculty alike. We seek now the support necessary to develop a large classroom on the site occupied currently by the home’s multi-car garage. The addition, designed in keeping with the architectural style of the original building, will serve as an instructional space and as a venue for worship services and informal student and community gatherings.

Estimates place the total cost of the addition at $650,000.

To find out more information or to make a gift, contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations at 630-844-5481 or alumni@aurora.edu. You also can make your gift online.