Hinckley Alumni and Visitors Center marks 1st year

PROVO — Upon seeing the interior of the Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni and

Visitors Center for the first time, one family couldn't help but notice

that the floor tile was similar to that in their own home.

That feeling is by design.

      Dedicated one year ago today, on the 97th birthday of LDS Church

President Gordon B. Hinckley, the building is a fresh, hard-to-miss

addition to campus for university alumni, many of whom are now seeing

it for the first time. And while the Hinckley Center is designed to be

a "home" for former students, the welcoming atmosphere school officials

have attempted to cultivate isn't just meant for alumni.

      "This building has done something to really complete BYU," said

Ron Clark, director of public affairs and guest relations at the

university.

      Cory Gherkins, a Brigham Young University alumnus, was visiting

the Hinckley Center last Friday afternoon with his daughters when they

noticed the flooring. Gherkins, who followed the building's

construction on the Internet, finally got to see the finished product

while on vacation from Arizona.

      "I would say it's quite a cornerstone for this campus," he said.

      Standing over Provo on West Campus Drive, the Hinckley Center was

built to be "the front gate to campus," said John Lewis, BYU's

associate advancement vice president. The exterior, which features a

clock tower, was meant to set the new structure apart from other

buildings on campus.