New Plaza Enhances Community Connection and Accessibility at Entrance to Historic Dawes Gymnasium and the Woodward Athletic Center
Blackburn College hosted a special ceremony on Saturday, October 25, to dedicate Boente Family Plaza, the reimagined entrance to historic Dawes Gymnasium and the Woodward Athletic Center. The redesigned plaza enhances one of the most visible and active areas on campus, providing a welcoming gathering space for students, alumni, and visitors.
The new Boente Family Plaza features updated landscaping, improved walkways and accessibility, and a sitting wall that has already become a popular spot for student-athletes and fans to gather before and after games. The project was part of the Winning Together campaign, which included the new state-of-the-art Blackburn Athletic Center, the Gugger Family Racquet & Hoops Center, and a new competition floor (M.C. Court) in Dawes. The plaza project was made possible through the generosity of the Boente family, whose deep ties to Blackburn and the Carlinville community span generations.
The dedication ceremony began with remarks from Blackburn College President Larry K. Lee, who opened the celebration with gratitude to the Boente family and recognition of the project’s importance to the campus community.
“For generations, Dawes has been a place where Blackburn students have come together to compete, to cheer, and to connect,” Lee said. “The Boentes have been an integral part of both Carlinville and Blackburn for many decades – as alumni, employees, parents, and steadfast supporters. The Boente Family Plaza is more than an entrance; it’s a space that connects our history with our future.”
Lee also noted the family’s enduring presence on campus, referencing a plaque and photo located just outside the President’s Office honoring Norma Boente Dunn, who served Blackburn for more than 30 years. “It’s a daily reminder of the Boente family’s long and meaningful relationship with this College.”
Speaking on behalf of the family, Steve Boente shared reflections on the Boente family’s enduring connection to Blackburn and Carlinville.
“On behalf of the Boentes here and Boentes elsewhere, we’re happy and proud to dedicate the plaza. It’s something that’s near and dear to our hearts,” Boente said. “We’re grateful not only for the scholastic, cultural, and athletic programs here, but also for the economic impact that Blackburn has had on the entire community for a long time.”
Boente continued, “Over 75 years ago, my mother and my aunt graduated here with degrees in education. Since that time, our family has graduated many from here. We’ve always been active in the Blackburn community. Growing up just a few blocks from here, many of us spent a lot of time on campus attending not just sporting events, but camps that used to be performed here, and we spent a lot of time in Dawes Gymnasium—sometimes being asked to leave, as you can imagine. It’s truly a family honor to have our name associated with this facility and Blackburn.”
Director of Athletics Kim Camara-Harvey also spoke, emphasizing the lasting impact of the new space for Blackburn’s student-athletes.
“We have a lot of student-athletes who walk in and out of this building every single day to train hard and reach a level of excellence that we take a lot of pride in,” Camara-Harvey said. “Now they’re able to walk past a space that exemplifies that level of excellence and what we’re trying to do here at Blackburn. I see them sitting on this wall, gathering with their friends and families before and after games. This is truly a space that exemplifies who we are as Beavers. On behalf of our athletic department, student-athletes, and staff, we want to thank the Boente family for creating a space that reflects our values and helps us build the same kind of family that you are.”
Members of the Boente family joined Blackburn students, faculty, staff, and coaches for the dedication, celebrating a project that connects Blackburn’s rich athletic tradition with its future.