Each week during the 2010-11 school year, The Merciad selects three stories about the college’s history. These story excerpts from our archives are posted to http://merciad.mercyhurst.edu on Thursday afternoons.

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‘Hurst to receive million dollar gift
Friday, Sept. 19, 1980

Mercyhurst will receive a $1 million gift to found a school of music from area heart surgeon George D’Angelo and his wife, Mary, it was announced Sunday.

According to President William P. Garvey, the $400,000 which was given by the D’Angelo’s upfront on Sunday, will be used to build an addition to Zurn Hall. The addition will house the D’Angelo School of Music and building is expected to begin within the next 36 to 48 months.

The remaining $600,000 will be established as an endowment for the music school to aid in program costs. These costs include equipment and an eight to ten member faculty.

Garvey called the D’Angelo donation a “challenge gift,” adding that the college is now seeking another $1/2 million from other sources for scholarship and program support.

“Mercyhurst should be one of the most prestigious colleges,” said George D’Angelo during a speech Monday evening. “We cannot accept mediocrity, we must move forward in distinction.”

The D’Angelo School of Music will offer a bachelor’s degree in applied music and music education. Students will be able to select majors from strings, woodwinds, piano, voice, and composition.

“The revival of music and the arts is the most important thing,” D’Angelo said. “Culture is so important because without it there is no community.”

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New parking ramp alleviates parking problem
Thursday, Sept. 16, 1993

By Joseph Legler

Mercyhurst College has alleviated some of the parking problems that plague the campus every fall with the construction of a two-tiered parking ramp across from Old Main and an additional parking lot behind the Campus Center.Merciad file photo: Mercyhurst’s new parking ramp, combined with a new parking lot behind the Campus Center has provided an estimated increase of 150 spaces for the campus community.

Director of Security Bud Dever said the additional parking amounts to an estimated 150 more car spots than last year.
Dever said his office has received very few complaints about parking this year.

The charge for a covered parking spot is $75 per year. All other parking permits now costs $45 per year.

These fees will help cover the $1.8 million required to build the ramp.

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‘Hurst gets a timely facelift with new academic building
Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002

By Megan Fialkovich

Jody Mello/Merciad file photo: Before and after construction shots on the Audrey Hirt Academic Center.The slender dome of the newly constructed Audrey Hirt Academic Center calls out to the whole of Erie as a beacon for learning, and a symbol of excellence for which Mercyhurst has become famous.

While already open for classes, the Hirt Building will not be officially dedicated until Oct. 27.

Named for a class of ’49 alumnus, the structure boasts a $7.3 millon pricetag, smart classrooms equipped for most any sort of multimedia presentation, and keycard entry for after-hours-admittance.

Early feedback from students and teachers has been positive, given the high visibility of the construction site and newly adorned tower, which will receive a brilliant green copper sheathing when completed. Soon to be unveiled are the interior performance stage, recital hall, WMCE, Hurst TV, and Merciad offices.

Older students may recall the apartment quad which formerly resided on the site of the Audrey Hirt Building with a pang of loss, especially given the burgeoning numbers of incoming freshmen, and ever-dwindling space in which to house them.