wfn.org | QuikTrip donates buildings for new PTS campus

["Office of Communications"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

Date: June 16, 2000
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
E-mail: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org
	
00b-30

    
	TULSA, Okla. (DNS) -- Two office buildings and 7.5 acres of land valued 
at more than $2 million were recently donated to Phillips Theological 
Seminary, here, for a new campus. 

	The donation by the board of directors of the QuikTrip Corporation, is 
the largest single gift received by the school in its 93-year history. The 
Tulsa-based company operates 335 gasoline/convenience stores in nine 
states. 

	In making the announcement, QT President Chester Cadieux said his company 
will build new headquarters at another Tulsa location. That move will 
allow the seminary to occupy its new facilities by June 30, 2003.

	"The reason for announcing the gift now is to give PTS the opportunity to 
move ahead with its fund raising to remodel our building to suit their 
needs," said Cadieux.

	"The gift of such spacious buildings is a dream come true," said the Rev. 
William Tabbernee, PTS president. "It will bring our entire seminary -- 
students, faculty, library, and staff -- together in one place for the 
first time 16 years!" 

	The main office building contains 54,000 square feet of space. A second 
building nearby contains more than 3,000 square feet. There are 230 
parking spaces. 

	Tabbernee said that while some renovation will be needed to make room for 
the seminary library, chapel and other facilities, the buildings are in 
excellent repair and should serve PTS well for many years.

	Founded in Enid, Okla., in 1907, the seminary shared a campus with 
Phillips University until recently. In 1986, the seminary established a 
second campus in Tulsa, leasing facilities from the University of Tulsa. 
In 1999, PTS completed its move to Tulsa in order to serve its 
constituency better.      

	Without a facility of its own, however, PTS has had to operate in various 
locations. Classes are currently taught on the TU campus and at East Side 
Christian Church. Administrative offices for the seminary are temporarily 
located several miles southeast of the Tulsa University campus.

	The seminary's library of some 150,000 books and resource materials is in 
three locations. Some are in McFarlin Library at TU and the administrative 
office location. The remaining two-thirds of the school's library are 
still housed in Enid.

	"Being together on one campus will help our seminary enormously," 
Tabbernee said. "We are projecting an enrollment growth of 39 percent over 
the next six years. The gift of the QuikTrip property will help us achieve 
our goals. It is a great leap forward."

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