Scarborough Leadership Center Opens 

SALISBURY, MD -- Salisbury University recently celebrated the opening of its cutting-edge Scarborough Student Leadership Center, the first of its type in Maryland.

The center, named in honor of SU alumnus J. Michael Scarborough, will bring leadership programs, academic honor societies and fraternities and sororities together under one roof.

"Linking Michael Scarborough's name with the word 'Leadership' is so appropriate," said President Janet Dudley-Eshbach.  "From his days here as a student, fraternity member and football player to today and his status as one of Maryland's leading entrepreneurs, political activists and philanthropists, Mike has exuded leadership qualities.  We are so proud that this building bears the name of one of the Mid-Atlantic's true leaders and one of Salisbury University's favorite sons, J. Michael Scarborough."

Representatives of SU’s student leadership and governing organizations were present for the ceremony, with Student Government Association President Sean Ofeldt presenting remarks on behalf of the student body.

Also speaking at the ceremony were Dudley-Eshbach, U.S. Rep. Robert Ehrlich, R-Md.-2nd a personal friend of Scarborough’s, and Dr. Thomas Goodale, director of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon national fraternity. 

Financing for the building—-a little more than $1 million--came from a variety of sources, including an $830,000 donation from Scarborough, a $100,000 contribution from the estate of the late Salisbury legislator John R. Hargreaves and a $100,000 allocation to the center from the student-run Appropriations Board, which distributes funds among student organizations. 

The building features office space with computer hookups for 22 student organizations, several conference rooms, offices for student activities officials, a back patio for outdoor social gatherings and a ceremonial room for receptions and ritual inductions. 

A special feature of the building is the John R. Hargreaves Leadership Library, named in honor of the late state legislator and businessman, a longtime SU supporter.  The library, located on the first floor of the center, includes leadership publications, videos and books available to any student, faculty or staff member.

The unrestricted gift from Hargreaves’ estate that helped support the building also went to establish the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement (PACE) on campus.

Heather Holmes, the University’s director of student activities, organizations and leadership, said the Scarborough Center should help advance Salisbury’s leadership development programming. 

SU currently offers three levels of leadership workshops, for emerging, established and experienced student leaders.  Current program offerings include wilderness treks for incoming students and a special leadership seminar run by the Perdue School of Business. 

Holmes said the Scarborough Center would help students both at SU and after graduation. “Employers are looking for students who can communicate, plan, problem-solve, budget and serve the community,” she said.  “Those skills are central to our mission.” 

Architectural/Engineering Services, LLC, of Salisbury, designed the 8,000-square-foot building, located on Camden Avenue. The construction manager was RDDCM of Salisbury.

Kim Nechay, assistant director of the SU Foundation, said the building’s architectural scheme was deliberately developed to match the rest of the Camden Avenue community. 

“It was designed very conscientiously,” said Nechay, who spearheaded the project.  “We wanted it to be something that really fit in.” Other architectural elements, such as the Georgian columns on the front porch, serve to celebrate Greek life on campus. 

The foyer will feature a plaque chronicling the center’s development and a bronze bust of Scarborough. Nechay said officials believe the Scarborough Center to be one of the few dedicated university leadership buildings in the United States. “It is one-of-a-kind in terms of what it can do for the leadership development of all organizations on campus,” Nechay said.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

J. Michael Scarborough, a member of the Class of 1976, was a founding member of SU’s chapter of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.  A member of the SU Foundation board of directors and the SAE Foundation board of directors, he is the president and CEO of The Scarborough Group, a pioneer in the 401(k) advice industry.  The company manages nearly $2 billion in retirement assets for thousands of clients across the country. Scarborough earned his M.B.A. in finance from Baldwin-Wallace College and has taught personal finance and economics courses at SU and Johns Hopkins University.

The Hon. Robert Ehrlich is the U.S. Representative from Maryland’s Second District.  Elected to Congress in 1994, he was re-elected to his fourth term with 70 percent of the vote in November 2000.  Ehrlich served eight years in the Maryland General Assembly prior to running for Congress.  He currently serves as a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and is co-chairman of the Congressional Biotechnology Caucus.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business and the Biotechnology Industry Organization have recognized his work.  Ehrlich earned his J.D. from Wake Forest University in 1982 and his B.A. from Princeton University in 1979.

Dr. Thomas G. Goodale is executive director of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and Foundation.  A longtime SAE volunteer and advisor, Goodale has 38 years of experience in higher education.  He has been a professor at the College of William & Mary, dean of students at the University of Florida and vice president for student affairs at American University, Virginia Tech and the University of Denver.  Goodale received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1971, his M.A. from Michigan State University in 1966 and his B.S. from Iowa State University in 1962.