I know, I know what you’re thinking — $6.7 million for a tower? Seriously?
On Feb. 24, the groundbreaking ceremony for Hulley Tower’s reconstruction kicked off, marking the start of a project originally meant to honor Stetson’s second president, Lincoln Hulley.
In this photo essay, I won’t try to convince you to care — but I will show you what this reconstruction means to so many, past and present, in both the Stetson and DeLand communities.
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This is more than just another study or hangout spot. “This will be a space for us to gather, celebrate, and remember,” Chaplain Todd Campbell said at the ceremony. Among those remembered are Scotty Fenlon, Dennis Long, and Katharine “Katy” Resnik, who lost their lives during a 1979 study abroad trip to Innsbruck, Austria. These individuals (left) Jill Jinks, Mildred Spaulding, Paul Nick, Michelle Blank and Karen Roberts were with Scotty, Dennis, and Katy on that trip. Clay Long (right) was Dennis’ brother. Featured in the Remembering Innsbruck documentary, this group traveled back to Innsbruck to honor their lost friends last summer and played a key role in making Hulley Tower a reality. In this photo, they take a significant step in preserving their memory by breaking ground on this space of remembrance.
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The Innsbruck study abroad program remains a cornerstone of Stetson summers. “It’s about the future,” Dr. John Tichenor, business professor and current lead of the program said. “It’s about all these students here. It’s about the students that will come beyond.” Among these are Innsbruck program student leaders Joe and John Owen, who helped break ground on the new tower. “I’m so excited to see this tower built, it’s gonna be so awesome,” Joe said.
And if you won’t take my word for it, take John’s: “The foundational element behind it all is the collective sense of community…we’re all interconnected and building this tower not only affirms Stetson’s commitment to that community, it gives us a chance to recognize our inherent value and to not let our stories be lost in time.”
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Long story short, this tower matters to people. Just look at how happy President Roellke and his wife, Kim, are — gleefully throwing dirt at this reporter.
Dr. Jill Jinks, an alumna and key advocate for the project, was part of the 1979 Innsbruck trip. Here she is seen throwing dirt with fellow alumna Michelle Blank.
“This is probably my 300th draft at this moment. I don’t know how we got here,” she said. “We rarely get to be part of something bigger than us—and in this case, much bigger than us.”
Three bells will memorialize Dennis, Katy, and Scotty, with others sponsored by Stetson community members, symbolizing unity. “You already know you love everyone in this place,” Jinks said. “I hope that will be part of Hulley Tower’s story and that those bells last a thousand years. Love is infinite in all its dimensions. Hulley Tower is our place of love. And yes, everything you need is already inside you… so let’s go play in the dirt.”
Thus, this project ultimately honors the past and lays the foundation for a future that will soon ring out across campus. Once a beloved gathering place, Hulley Tower’s bells echoed through DeLand for generations. Soon, they will again.
