The Greater Wichita YMCA announced two $1 million gifts that will help bring a YMCA to Wichita State University.
Steve and Becky Clark, along with Ken and Jan Shannon, have committed funding for the project on WSU’s Innovation Campus, the YMCA said Tuesday in a news release.
Steve Clark, a WSU graduate, is chairman of Clark Investment Group. The Shannons, both WSU alumni, own Metal-Fab, a Wichita manufacturing company.
The facility, which would be located south of Eck Stadium, is expected to open in January 2020. In addition to workout facilities, the building also will include student health and counseling services and a drop-in daycare center.
Student fees will help fund operating costs for the YMCA. In exchange, all fee-paying WSU students receive free YMCA memberships.
“It’s truly humbling to see how committed our supporters are to bringing a Y to the WSU campus,” YMCA President and CEO Ronn McMahon said in a news release.
In addition to WSU students, faculty and staff, the YMCA is expected to serve employees on the Innovation Campus and residents in the neighborhoods surrounding campus.
“The WSU-YMCA partnership represents an exceptional opportunity to deliver additional wellness services to the WSU campus and surrounding neighborhoods,” WSU President Dr. John Bardo said in a news release. “The campus Y will be an important piece of the learn-live-work-play innovation district taking shape in northeast Wichita.”
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Tom Shine is the director of news and public affairs. Follow him on Twitter @thomaspshine.
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