NSU begins construction on 'Cappi' Wadley reading clinic

(Tahlequah, Okla.) Construction is underway on Northeastern State Universitys Cappitola Cappi Wadley Center for Reading and Technology, funded by a portion of the universitys first $1 million private donation.

Housed in the third floor of Bagley Hall, the Wadley Center will provide a reading clinic where young students can overcome reading deficiencies and educators can become better prepared to help them learn to read.

The center will serve a dual purpose, said Dr. Kay Grant, dean of the College of Education. For the community, it will offer outreach tutoring to children and families with low literacy skills. From the universitys academic perspective, the center will help our graduate and undergraduate students develop their instructional abilities to help children and adults enhance their literacy.

Gregg Wadley, Northeastern class of 1969, and his wife, Dr. Betsy Brackett, pledged the milestone gift in December 2010 in honor of Wadleys mother, Cappitola Cappi Wadley, who passed away in 2005.

Construction of the facility began July 11. Tim Foutch, vice president for operations, said application of spray insulation has begun and that completion of the center is anticipated by the end of 2011.

The centers construction will create a clinical teaching environment permitting one-on-one and small-group tutoring, Foutch said. Technology is being emphasized so that instruction and delivery will accommodate current and future needs.

Classes will be held in Bagley during the work, and Foutch said arrangements are in place to inform faculty of the construction schedule.

A week in advance, we are providing Dean Grant lists of specific work to be accomplished in a given week, Foutch said. If we have a noise or smell concern or another potential interruption the faculty will know. We can discuss possible conflicts and coordinate our schedule accordingly.

Grant said any inconveniences are worth the establishment of the center.

We've been very excited in the College of Education since receiving this wonderful gift from Gregg Wadley and Betsy Brackett, she said. We have been working on the preliminaries to the construction for a long time and we are delighted to see it finally commence.

Anita Thompson, development and grants officer for the College of Education, said donations to support the Wadley Center are still welcome and needed.

The cost of construction is covered, but the NSU Foundation is still seeking contributions for furnishings, technology, books and a facility maintenance endowment, she said. There are also still many naming opportunities available in a variety of price ranges.

Those interested in donating to the Cappitola Cappi Wadley Center for Reading and Technology can call Thompson at 918-444-3751, or visit the NSU Foundation website for more information.