The Fourth Decade

Laredo Morning Times | lmtonline.com | Sunday, December 15, 2019 | E3 50 Anniversary Blueprints a Reality.” This phase consisted of a $49.5 million expansion with fa- cilities growing an addition- al 60%. Its expansion included the Student Development Center, the Center for the Study of Western Hemi- spheric Trade and the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts. By 2000, students, facul- ty and the community could watch the phase’s develop- ment online through a fixed camera which documented construction every 60 sec- onds. In August 2003, TAMIU opened its Center for the Fine and Performing Arts to the tune of $22 million. It included the Sharkey Corri- gan Pipe Organ, which was donated by Laredo business- man E.H. Corrigan. Corrigan showed Keck classical music when he was a teenager, which sparked his lifelong passion for mu- sic and studying it. The center also featured a recital hall, a gallery, art and music studios, rehearsal rooms, a small theatre and a full-sized theatre. In 2006, the Laredo Phil- harmonic Chorale turned over its independent status and became part of TAMIU, using the university as its new and permanent home. Three years after Phase III, Phase IV began with groundbreaking in June 2003. Lt. Gov. David De- whurst watched the ground- breaking for the phase in- cluded a science building and a transparent glass pyra- mid for the Planetarium. The science building housed a lecture hall, offices and 30 labs. It was called the Lamar Bruni Vergara Sci- ence Center, honoring the late local philanthropist La- mar Bruni Vergara. Trustees of the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust helped fund construc- tion, programs and student scholarships for TAMIU. The TAMIU community received information via Prism Magazine that Phases IV and V are underway, even though the State Legislature is wary of the budgeting. “To have delayed our campus’ completion, this session would have had dire ramifications for our univer- sity, and we are glad that the Legislature shares in our vi- sion for a first-class regional university of choice here,” TAMIU President Ray Keck said at the time. For the 78th Legislative Session, TAMIU was appro- priated funding for Phases IV and V, with the latter phase including a support services facility, completing utility service, infrastruc- ture loop improvements and athletics facilities’ improve- ments. In 2005, the Lamar Bru- ni Vergara Science Center Planetarium was opened as one of the few Digistar new generation digital projec- tors in the U.S. at the time. The dome was 40-feet and showed students and the community shows and clo- seups of the universe. It would later be upgrad- ed in 2014 with crisp resolu- tion and brighter projection. The University Success Center opened in 2010 with a price tag of $25 million. Dr. Minita Ramirez at the time was the Enrollment Services Executive Direc- tor, and currently she is TA- MIU’s Vice President of the Division of Student Success and an LISD Trustee. Ramirez said students traveled all around campus to get errands done and get information since all the of- fices were spread out. “We had the Financial Aid Office in Pellegrino Hall, the testing was in Cow- art Hall and Admissions was in Killam Library,” Ramirez said. “Everyone was scat- tered around the four or Donar E. H. Corrigan poses before the inaugural recital of the Sharkey Corrigan Pipe Organ in July 2006.