Brescia University dedicated its renovated Moore Center for students on Sept. 8, 2017, which included comments by the man whose donation bears his name.

But Father Larry Hostetter, president of Brescia and an Ursuline Associate, also spoke of a different group of pioneers who had the vision in 1988 to build a student center at Brescia, even though the future was uncertain for the Catholic college.

“They took a leap of faith and raised the money to build this building,” Father Larry said before a large crowd. Among those pioneers whom he asked to stand were Ursuline Sister Ruth Gehres, who was president at the time, and her successor, Ursuline Sister Vivian Bowles. He also recognized Ursuline Sister Sharon Sullivan for her role in the master plan for the student center.

“We say we have one foot in the past and one in the future,” Father Larry said. “Saint Angela Merici and the Ursuline Sisters are our past. The vision of Saint Angela and the Ursuline spirit continues to inspire us.”

Among the speakers was Joe Moore, a 1974 Brescia alumnus who donated $1 million in 2014 for renovation of the campus center, and secured another $1 million in 2015 from the Martin Foundation in Nashville. Moore is semi-retired but still lends his expertise as a CPA to Martin Ventures, a Nashville-based venture capital firm. The Moore Center is named for Moore’s parents, Parvin and Mildred Moore.

“My parents stressed education and doing the right thing for other people,” Moore said. The words they lived by, from Proverbs 16:3, are printed on the plaque bearing their name in the Moore Center: “Entrust your works to the Lord and your plans will succeed.”

The Moore Center offers a dining hall, a place for students to relax, a gym, walking track and weight room, and a spirit shop.

Here are some photos from the festivities.