Larry Becker
Executive Director, University Relations
La Sierra University
Riverside, California
909-785-2460 voice
909-334-7175 cell
lbecker@lasierra.edu

On January 8, 2003, La Sierra University held a dedication ceremony for the completion of the new Yin Fong Chan Hall at the School of Education. The dedication ceremony, held concurrently with the President's New Years reception, included remarks from the donor, the former dean of the School of Education Norman Powell, and from a selection of School of Education students and faculty who expressed their appreciation to the benefactor.

Yin Fong Chan Hall is a significant addition to La Sierra's School of Education. The new facility adds classroom and office space, and opened during a special ceremony January 8, 2003

Dr. Chan is a retired widower and a successful, though humble, businessman. A long-time and dedicated Seventh-day Adventist, he has a strong faith in God and believes in Christian education. During his remarks at the dedication ceremony, Yin Fong Chan praised the academic program at La Sierra as well as the values that he sees represented here. He expressed a desire to make another gift to La Sierra in order to further the mission and goals of Adventist education.

Indeed, Yin Fong Chan Hall will be instrumental in helping the School of Education meet the needs of a department that awards a number of undergraduate and graduate degrees up to the doctoral level. The new wing includes 5 new offices, 3 classrooms, and a lobby area. Up until now, the faculty of the School of Education have been managing to make limited space work for them. Former dean of the School of Education Norman Powell remarks that they have been dealing with office locations in some strange places. The new office and classroom space will enable them to expand more comfortably. In addition, they hope to continue the development of the School of Education by adding to the faculty sometime in the not-too-distant future.

Participating in the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new School of Education expansion are (from left) Ella Simmons, provost/vice president for academic administration; Larry Geraty, university president; Yin Fong Chan, principal donor to the project; and Elissa Kido, dean of the School of Education

The department is excited about more than just the space expansion. Yin Fong Chan Hall includes two new smart classrooms, "smart" because they incorporate technological advances including built-in video and data projectors, wireless internet access, and what is called a smart board. The smart board can serve as a projection surface, allowing professors to write on projected material such as a Powerpoint presentation, and also as a white board with the capability to save information written during one class session to be recalled and used again at the next session.

The education building has undergone an interesting evolution over the last fifty years. Originally, in the 1950s, the campus swimming pool was on the site of the present-day education building. The upper wing served as the locker room and offices, with the pool down below. In the 70s, the pool was filled in and the bottom wing of the building was constructed. Up until the 70s, the building went through a number of changes, serving at different times as the honors building, KSGN headquarters, the communication department, and as the anthropology and sociology department. Finally, in the mid 1990s, the building was remodeled to serve as the School of Education building.

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