Building important to Flagler student recruitment

Flagler College informed Historic City News that they have begun construction in St Augustine on a new 12,000-square-foot, $3.8 million building to serve as the college’s Admissions and Financial Aid center as well as the first point of contact for prospective students.

Flagler College President William T. Abare, Jr., Ed.D., joined faculty and the Board of Trustees on October 26 to break ground on Hanke Hall, which will be located on Cordova Street.

“We recognize that students have a wide array of colleges from which they may choose, and we believe that it is important for us to make a good first impression on prospective students and their families,” said Abare. “Additionally, we have outgrown Wiley Hall, the current location of our Admissions and Financial Aid offices, and we needed to create a new space that would accommodate both offices and would be attractive and functional in design.”

Abare said many small colleges like Flagler have begun recognizing the importance of welcome centers in their student recruitment programs, and have constructed either new buildings or renovated existing buildings to improve the student experience when they visit.

The facility will be named after Board of Trustees member Col. G. F. Robert Hanke, USMC (Ret.)

“Col. Hanke expressed an interest in this project soon after he joined the board,” said Abare. “He recognized the importance of the building to our student recruitment program, and he decided to make a major gift to help pay for the construction of the facility.”

The project will be overseen by A.D. Davis Construction Corp., which has worked with the college on projects since 1975. Ken Smith is the architect.

Hanke Hall is expected to be finished on July 3, 2012.

Photo credits: © 2011 Historic City News contributed photograph by Flagler College