Montgomery, AL – On Tuesday, November 12, Huntingdon College President Anthony Leigh alongside members of the Huntingdon College Board of Trustees and the Student Government Association, broke ground on the future site of the outdoor pool on the main Huntingdon College campus.
The groundbreaking is the first of the building phases of the Heart of Huntingdon Campaign launched last October to raise funds for an outdoor pool and indoor wellness facility. President Leigh, speaking to the crowd of guests and students, talked about the importance of the new addition to the campus as more than just a recreational feature. He stated, “Huntingdon College is increasingly recognized as one of the South’s premier pre-professional colleges. I have often said that students come to Huntingdon with a measure of ambition, and a desire to get a great pre-professional education in a faith-based environment and to fully participate in the life of the College.
But a Huntingdon education is more than a great academic experience offered in iconic spaces like Bellingrath Hall and Flowers Hall. Huntingdon is also a social experience, and our students need spaces on campus that enable them to have outlets for their social and recreational life. We celebrate our residential living experience, the uniqueness of the Huntingdon village, and the opportunity Huntingdon’s small close-knit community affords our students to form relationships and connections for a lifetime.
In higher education, spaces where students can congregate with each other matter. Facilities where students can enhance their physical and mental health make a difference in the life of the College, and with the wellbeing of individual students.
Today, we take a step forward into our strategic plan as we break ground on the next phase of the Heart of Huntingdon facilities campaign. Today, we advance Huntingdon’s residential living experience. Today we demonstrate our student-centered focus and create a new wellness space on campus as we formally begin construction on an outdoor resort-style swimming pool here in the Heart of Huntingdon.”
After the President’s remarks, he welcomed Student Government Association President Blake Smith ’25 to the podium. President Smith, on behalf of the student body, echoed President Leigh’s excitement stating, “On behalf of the student body, I want to thank President Leigh for your student-centered leadership and that you truly care about each student, thank you. This pool will serve as a place where students can connect, alleviate the stresses of college, and bring in prospective students. Thank you to the countless men and women who have pledged their support for this project. May God’s favor shine on Huntingdon College for generations to come.”
The members of the groundbreaking platform included President Anthony Leigh, Board of Trustees Chairman Leura Garrett Canary ‘78, Former Chairman Dave Borden, Former Chairman Laurie Weil, SGA President Blake Smith ’25, Student Judicial Board Chief Justice Ariel Dixon ’25, SGA Vice President Benjamin Barker ‘25, SGA Treasurer Evan Bergeron ‘25, SGA Public Relations Angelina Mazza ’27, and SGA Secretary Emma Grace Samples ’27. The pool will be located behind Jackson Home. The estimated opening is Fall of 2025. Gifts to the Heart of Huntingdon Campaign can be made at www.huntingdon.edu/give.
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