UJ dedicates renovated chapel, new Center for Faith and Life

As sunlight streamed through the newly restored stained glass of Voorhees Chapel, students, alumni, faculty, and friends gathered to dedicate something more than bricks and mortar. These Jimmies were celebrating the love, courage, and vision that are the key ingredients in the University of Jamestown’s enduring story.

President Polly Peterson welcomed those assembled by recalling the improbable journey from prairie vision to the vibrant campus community that stands today. She spoke of the Presbyterian founders who, more than 140 years ago, looked out over the Dakota landscape and dared to dream of a college.

“Our story has not been one of demise, but about something far more enlightened,” Peterson said. Literally, out of the ashes, the University of Jamestown has arisen—a place of light and truth, a place of renewal and hope.”

She reminded us of the university’s motto, Lux et Veritas—Light and Truth—is not just a phrase but a compass guiding the education of mind, body, and spirit. The words spoken to follow cemented the value in that truth.

The dedication on September 26, 2025, was a symphony of memory and gratitude. The Dr. Richard Smith Alumni Choir, under Dr. Rebecca Raber, performed beloved selections, honoring Dr. Smith’s legacy of musical excellence and discipline that shaped generations of students. Alumni Jack Lawrence and Mark Wolf shared stories that revealed how music, like tradition, binds the past to the present and ensures that the university’s values continue to resonate long into the future.

At the heart of the celebration was the recognition of those whose vision and generosity made possible not only the renovation and expansion, but also new programs to carry the university’s mission forward. Jim and Candy Unruh, whose transformative gift established the Unruh School of Character in Leadership, spoke with humility about their hope that the school would inspire students to “leave here with a clear sense of values and the importance of their character,” ready to lead with integrity in a world that needs it more than ever.

Clarice Liechty’s words, read by her son Richard, reflected a lifetime of commitment to placing faith at the center of life and learning, praying that “God’s word and the example of Christ would also flow into our individual faith and lives.”

The day also marked the arrival of a rare Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible, a gift from the late Elmer Schindel. Reverend Dr. John Ross framed its significance with a simple truth, “The building will be gone someday, but what happens here will echo into eternity.” The illuminated Bible, now housed in both the chapel and the center, stands as a lasting symbol of the eternal values at the heart of the university’s mission.

Perhaps the most moving testimony came from a student voice. Mario DeCapite, a graduate assistant in campus ministry, shared his journey from Calgary, Alberta, to Jamestown—from hockey-obsessed undergraduate to leader in faith.

He spoke of the chapel as “a place where I can slow down in the middle of a busy schedule, reflect, pray, and just be with God,” and as a space where “students will come to find peace, where worship will echo, and where people encounter Jesus for the first time. Our lives will be transformed for years to come.”

The dedication concluded with a benediction sung by the combined alumni and student choir. It was a powerful and fitting end to a day. As people lingered for fellowship, stories, and ribbon-cutting, there was a sense that something eternal had been set in motion.

As the celebration moved from the sanctuary to the new Reuben and Clarice Liechty Center for Faith and Life, the sense of renewal was palpable. The center is designed not only as an architectural bridge between sacred and daily life, but as a living space where faith, leadership, and community are forged together.

At its heart is The Well coffee bar, sponsored by Unison Bank and named by the students themselves. The Well is more than a coffee shop—it is a wellspring of conversation, laughter, mentorship, and daily connection, echoing the biblical tradition of meeting at the well.

The new and renewed spaces are not just additions to the campus. They are milestones in a legacy built on faith, vision, generosity, and love.

LEAD DONORS

UJ Leaders and major donors celebrate the successful completion of a $24.5 million campaign, made possible by 177 donors whose 312 gifts restored Voorhees Chapel, created the Unruh School of Character in Leadership, and built the Reuben and Clarice Liechty Center for Faith and Life.

• Paulette Armstrong
• Wendy Banister & Amber Fredrickson
• Steve & Kathy Bietz
• William Bernhagen
• Shane & Corrie Berg
• Bruce & Lorraine Furness
• Duane & Kathleen Enzminger
• Co-Bank – In Honor of Mac McLennan
• Dale & Mona Shook
• Dr. David and Stacey Muhs
• Edith Prentice
• Richard and Jaime Liechty
• Clarice Liechty
• Jack & Carrie Lawrence
• Mark & Cheryl Wolf
• Jim J. Johnson
• Rodney Melgard
• Virgil Miedema & Barbara Spaid
• Marlin Stokke
• William Tarnasky
• Violet (Tarnasky) Ova
• James Unruh
• Candice Unruh
• Polly & Darin Peterson
• Presbyterian of the Northern Plains
• Kelly & Mary Rachel
• Steve & Kelly Redmann
• Paul & Colette Sukut
• James and Mary Syvrud
• Tom & Frances Leach Foundation in Honor of Todd Steinwand
• Unison Bank