Leons to attend MSSU health sciences center dedication ceremony

(From Southern News Service)

A formal dedication ceremony for the Julio S. León Health Sciences Center will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27.

The announcement for the building dedication was made in April during a tribute dinner for former Missouri Southern President Dr. Julio León and his wife, Vivian. Having served previously as a faculty member in the Business Department and later as its dean, León was named president of the college in 1982. He served for 25 years before resigning in 2007.

Dr. León is currently the special adviser to the executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at the University of Texas System, in charge of creating a new university and a medical school in South Texas.

The Leóns will be attending Wednesday’s ceremony. It will be followed by separate ceremonies to dedicate the McCune-Brooks Healthcare Foundation Nursing Department, the Pat & Carolyn Phelps Interdisciplinary Simlation Center and the John & Joy Cragin Computer Lab.

“We want to honor each of the major donors who have provided funds for the project and have allowed us to honor them in this way,” said Delores Honey, director of donor relations-development for the MSSU Foundation.

W. Robert Corley, for whom the Dental Hygiene Clinic is named, will also be recognized for his contributions, she said.

Earlier in the day, a separate dedication ceremony for the Ruth I. Kolpin-Rubison Tiered Classrooms will be held at 11 a.m. in Webster Hall. An announcement of the Gail & Ruth Smith II Endowment for Technical Services Writing will also be made.

“It’s a writing program that the Smiths are underwriting to encourage technical writing,” said Honey. “It will be overseen by the English Department.”

JoAnn Graffam, director of the MSSU Foundation, said that the day’s events are important not only to recognize Dr. León and the others donors, but also to honor the university’s history and commitment to its students.

“Our students are able to prepare for their careers because of Dr. León’s dedication and leadership, and because of the contributions from these donors,” she said. “They’re helping students to achieve success and that’s why we’re all here.”