ALBION, Mich. – Thanks to a generous donor and the perseverance of a group of dedicated students, Albion College soon will boast one of the country’s few on-campus equestrian centers.

Construction and the first year of operation of the equestrian facility are made possible by a $750,000 donation from Albion philanthropist Nancy Held, professor emerita of education and the former director of the College’s teacher education program.


Nancy Held is pictured above, middle, with Albion College President Peter Mitchell and Rebecca Mitchell during the announcement of Held's gift, at halftime of the Albion-Kalamazoo football game Oct. 25. (Dave Trumpie photo)

An additional $250,000 gift from Jean and Sheldon Laughlin of Parma, Mich., has increased the total amount raised for the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center to $1 million. The gift—added to the original $750,000 donated by Albion philanthropist Nancy Held—will help cover construction costs and the first year of operation of the equestrian center, which is slated to open in fall 2004. Jean Laughlin graduated from Albion College in 1950.

Planners say they hope the Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center—designed to be the premier equestrian facility for a liberal arts college in the Midwest and the only such facility in Michigan—will be operational by the fall of 2004. The facility will be located on 350 acres of land immediately south of the College’s Bellemont Manor, at the intersection of Hannah Street and Haven Road in Albion. Albion’s equestrian center will be located on the largest plot of land dedicated to this purpose—and closer to the heart of campus—than most colleges or universities with equestrian programs in the nation.

The benefits of an equestrian facility to the College and greater Albion community will be many, according to College officials. In addition to enhancing admissions recruitment efforts by attracting equestrian students from across the country, the facility will provide an economic boost to the local Albion economy. Other opportunities associated with an equestrian program at Albion College include the possibility of offering a concentration in equestrian management through the College’s Carl A. Gerstacker Liberal Arts Institute for Professional Management, as well as strengthening the College’s pre-veterinary medicine program. The project also paves the way for collaborative programs with other colleges and universities.

“Opportunities abound with this project,” said Albion College President Peter Mitchell. “A program like this opens many doors—from the many on-campus possibilities to the myriad of community opportunities. I am thrilled that our great friend Nancy Held has the courage and vision to see the powerful impact this will have on both the College and local communities and to take the lead with her generous gift.

“With Albion’s Kids ‘N’ Stuff children’s museum and the new Victory Park playground—coupled with some new restaurants and new businesses—the community is bouncing back,” Mitchell continued. “I am convinced that the community’s future lies in being a college town that fosters business, industry, and recreation. The Nancy G. Held Equestrian Center will be the ideal complement to this emerging image of Albion as a great, friendly, college town.”

The “Equestrian Facility Feasibility Study” produced last year by the Gerstacker Institute’s Briton Business Consultants (BBC) predicted that by the first five years of operation, the equestrian program would attract an additional 10-15 new, first-year students each year, primarily from Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois. The study also found that similar facilities at other colleges are used by a large number of students other than those who board their horses. A survey of Albion students for the BBC study confirmed that there is significant interest in an equestrian center beyond club-level competition, with many students indicating that they would ride recreationally or would like to learn how to ride.

The BBC study, conducted in 2003 by Gerstacker students, also stated that the center would be beneficial to the Albion community “because of the positive image associated with an equestrian facility.”

Held, who served on the College’s faculty from 1961 to 1992 and has been a generous friend of such Albion endeavors as the Kids ‘N’ Stuff children’s museum and the Victory Park playground, said she is excited about the equestrian project. She said she pored over the equestrian center feasibility study all summer before making her decision.

“I have loved the land for many years,” Held said. “I’ve walked the rolling hills for years, seen the nearly 100 deer at sunset in the back fields, and I thought, ‘Good—this is a good use of the land.’ Plus, I think it is important for the College and community—it will strengthen town and College relationships. There are numerous people here in Albion—residents and College young people—who have horses and love to ride.”

The idea of an equestrian facility took shape two years ago, when students founded the Albion College Equestrian Club. This fall, the club hired a coach and students began competing at colleges and universities in the region.

An equestrian facility will make Albion stand out among most colleges in the country. Student research showed that the three colleges nearest to Albion with equestrian facilities were Michigan State University in East Lansing, the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, and Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio. Only one other college in the country, Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., has an on-campus equestrian facility.

Albion College Vice President for Enrollment David Hawsey, who serves as the point person for the project's development, said the new equestrian facility will allow students to board their horses on campus while providing a competitive venue for the Albion Equestrian Team, a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).

“We want the center to open in the fall for students who want to board their horses and ride for pleasure, as well as for club-level sport,” Hawsey said. “We are in the process identifying a facility and course designer to help build a first-class facility for our students.  Our paramount concern is to provide a safe, healthy and caring environment for the horses.  Students, equestrian experts and enthusiasts alike tell us that the safety and health of the horse is the first thing potential boarders look for in a facility. Albion College will follow this advice without question. This will be a top-notch facility in construction and in our care for the animals.” 

A national and regional leader in academics, technology, the arts and athletics, Albion College is committed to the theme of “Liberal Arts at Work.” Founded more than 165 years ago in Albion, Mich., the College is dedicated to preparing the leaders of tomorrow to put knowledge into action through individual attention and real world experiences. With nearly 52 percent of its alumni making gifts to the college, Albion College is ranked 16^th in the nation among colleges and universities in the percentage of alumni who donate to their alma maters.

For more information, contact Albion College Director of Media Relations Morris Arvoy at 517-740-7923. 

More Information:
Held Equestrian Center Gets Additional $250,000 Gift

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