Six members of the Agenstein family were special guests at the dedication of newly renovated Evan R. Agenstein Hall during a ceremony on Jan. 18.
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Agenstein Hall is the math and science building on the campus of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. The building has been undergoing a major remodeling over the past year as labs and offices were updated.
Attending the ribbon cutting ceremony from our area were Steve, John, Lois and Cliff Agenstein and Kathy and Jeff Henderson.
Cliff Agenstein is a nephew of the building’s namesake — Evan Agenstein. Evan was a longtime educator in the St. Joseph Public School system.
"We’re very proud of him," said Lois Agenstein. She added that people from Gallatin may remember Evan, who was also a minister, as a lay preacher in area churches.
Evan joined St. Joseph Junior College in 1958. He became the chairman of what was then the math and physics department.
The lecture hall was built in 1969 and was one of the three original buildings on the current MWSU campus. It was given Agenstein’s name when he retired in 1971. He died in 1988.
The total project cost of the addition and the renovations was $35.1 million, 80-plus percent of which came from the state’s Lewis and Clark Discovery Initiative and $5 million from local contributors Wes and Patsy Remington. Remington Hall was constructed adjacent to Agenstein Hall and is attached by a three-story atrium.
The renovation of Bushman Planetarium is expected to be completed next month and will be the final phase of the campus expansion.
Students returned to campus Tuesday for the first day of classes and the first in Agenstein since it was closed this time last year.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was hosted by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce. The MWSU Jazz Combo performed.