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Champlain College Restores History
Within the past year, the Champlain College campus has opened new windows on its heritage with two building restoration projects and a salute—in bronze—to the College’s namesake.
 Aiken Hall Restored to Glory
Named for Lola P. Aiken, trustee emerita of the College, the Queen Anne–style brick manor house at the corner of Maple and Summit streets has boasted sweeping views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains since its construction circa 1885. The building’s recent restoration employed state-of-the-art techniques emphasizing sustainability and reducing environmental impact, earning it LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification—the first campus building to meet that standard. Aiken Hall is home to the Core division, Champlain’s interdisciplinary general education program.
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 Perry Hall Forges Ahead
Plans to make historic Perry Hall into a new Champlain College welcome center are progressing smoothly. Following the May 28, 2009, groundbreaking, work began on the circa 1859 home at 251 South Willard Street—one of only 11 houses in the neighborhood that predate the Civil War. Most recently occupied by the Cannon family, the property was purchased by the College in 2004 and renamed in honor of former College President Roger H. Perry. At an estimated cost of $15 million, the renovation is slated to be complete, and the building ready for occupancy, in August 2010. |
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 Who’s the Big Man on Campus?
It’s French explorer Samuel de Champlain. During the “When the French Were Here” symposium held on campus this past summer—part of a regional celebration marking the 400th anniversary of Champlain’s voyage to the lake that now bears his name—a larger-than-life statue in his likeness was unveiled. Trustee emeritus and longtime College benefactor John W. Heisse Jr., M.D., commissioned the work from Vermont sculptor James Sardonis. It sits in the Rozendaal Courtyard between Alumni Auditorium and the IDX Student Life Center. —Staff report |
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