Download Image: Web
The three lead donors of Lycoming College’s new music building announced they will name the facility the Trachte Music Center, in honor of the College’s 15th and current president, Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D., and his spouse Sharon R. Trachte, Ph.D. Current and emeritus trustees Peter ’69 and Joyce Lynn, Dan Fultz ’57, and Stan ’80 and Jolene ’80 Sloter, each worked closely with President Trachte over the course of his nine years as president. They have named the building in recognition of the Trachtes’ leadership, contributions to the College and community, and love and appreciation for music.
Funded primarily through philanthropy, the $8.5 million, 14,000 square-foot building will connect to the Mary Lindsay Welch Honors Hall. In addition, a Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant will support the site work and enhancements to the immediate area around the facility. The Trachte Music Center will feature a signature rehearsal and recital space, classrooms and digital piano lab, soundproof practice rooms, music resource and instrument room, and offices for music faculty. It represents the most significant investment in a music facility at Lycoming in more than 100 years.
Every year, more than 200 Lycoming students engage in music making on Lycoming’s campus through participation in choir, band, orchestra, chamber groups, small ensembles, private lessons, and recitals. In addition, many members of the community and region attend concerts and enjoy music performances on the campus. The Trachte Music Center will expand opportunities for community ensembles, local primary and secondary students, and music organizations to utilize the on-campus space as the College continues to enrich the experiences of its undergraduates.
Since taking office in 2013, President Trachte has partnered with local government and developers to secure more than $9 million in state grants toward the revitalization of the East End of Williamsport, where the new building is situated. Under his leadership, Lycoming College has invested more than $60 million in modernizing the campus, built a new entrance to the campus anchored by the Krapf Gateway Center, developed multiple new academic programs, completed a record-breaking fundraising campaign, and became a national leader in social mobility and access to higher education.
“We are humbled by this honor. Serving this community has been one of the greatest joys of our professional and personal lives,” said President Trachte. “Even more, the generosity of Peter and Joyce Lynn, Stan and Jolene Sloter, and Dan Fultz and his late spouse Helen, demonstrates the depth of their leadership and impact of their philanthropy on this learning community. We are all indebted to them, and the entire Board of Trustees, for their steadfast dedication to the students, faculty, and staff, that makes Lycoming College such a distinguished place to pursue an undergraduate education.”
The Trachte Music Center is on schedule to open for the Fall 2022 semester during Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 2-3. A formal dedication will occur during the College’s Fall 2022 Board of Trustees meeting. A time-lapse video of the building construction can be viewed at: https://www.lycoming.edu/advancement/music-facility-time-lapse.aspx.
The Lycoming College music program offers an enriching curriculum that is bolstered by numerous performance and professional opportunities. Its flexible course structure allows students to design their own path to match their interests and career goals. More information on music for majors and non-majors is available at https://www.lycoming.edu/music/.