KRUSE CENTER GRAND OPENING AT BLINN

  

Blinn College celebrated the grand opening of the Kruse Center yesterday (Friday) afternoon on its Brenham campus.

The Kruse Center is a new 36,000 square foot student recreation and activities center, which will be the home for the Blinn basketball and volleyball teams.  The facility was made possible through a generous gift from the Kruse family.  Siblings Mildred Kruse Bridge, Evelyn Ann Kruse, the late Ed. Kruse and his wife Evelyn, and Howard Kruse and his wife Verlin established the gift in memory of their parents, E.F. and Bertha Kruse.

At Friday’s grand opening, Howard Kruse said, “This is a student-centered facility designed to be a great space for students.  This facility will aid in student recruitment, and I will tell you this…they also will find other things to include here that will help with the health of the community and our students.”

Located at 208 Blinn Boulevard near the baseball field, the Kruse Center includes space for general fitness, dance and yoga, kinesiology classes, student organization meetings, weightlifting and fitness space, and multi-purpose rooms for community events and meetings.  Its gym will not only host Blinn Buccaneer basketball and volleyball games, but also high school playoff games and summer camps.

Blinn Chancellor Dr. Mary Hensley said during Friday’s ceremony, “The Kruse Center will add to the vibrancy and energy of this campus.  It will stand as a symbol of the Kruse family’s commitment to Blinn College and higher education, and will attract the high-achieving, high-energy students who make Blinn College so special”

The Kruse Center will host its first athletic events, today (Saturday).  The Blinn women’s basketball team will face Bosier Parrish at 2:00 and the men’s team will host Paris Junior College at 4:00.  Free Blue Bell ice cream will be served during the games while it lasts, and the new Buccaneer mascot will be introduced between games.