Center Named After Rogalski

On Oct. 8, the St. Ambrose University Board of Directors announced that the recently completed 64,000-square-foot university center on campus has been named for sitting president Edward Rogalski and his wife, Bobbi.

"When the board of directors began considering a name for this University Center, we looked for someone who epitomized that greatest of St. Ambrose's hallmark qualities, service to students," said St. Ambrose board of directors member John Anderson, a 1987 graduate of St. Ambrose, at the dedication ceremony announcing the name. "It seemed entirely natural to decide upon Ed and Bobbi Rogalski."

President Rogalski has spent 36 of his 40-year professional career at St. Ambrose and is one of the longest-serving university presidents in Iowa. He joined the university as dean of students in 1968 and over the course of the next 19 years held several high-level administrative positions, culminating in his installation as St. Ambrose's twelfth president on July 1, 1987.

Bobbi Rogalski, a staunch advocate for the arts, serves on statewide and local arts boards, including St. Ambrose's own Galvin Fine Arts Center Program and Catich Art on Campus committees, among others.

The Rogalskis have five sons--Ted, J.J., Dan, Dave, and Chris--three of whom graduated from St. Ambrose.

"Bobbi and I are both deeply touched and humbled to be honored by this institution that has meant so much to us personally," said President Rogalski. "We have always considered it a privilege for our family to serve the St. Ambrose ‘family.'"

Completed in August, the Rogalski Center provides a much-needed hub on campus for students, alumni, faculty and staff. The facility houses services and amenities for students, and a ballroom that provides premier event, conference and meeting space for the university and at-large communities.

Since Edward Rogalski became president of St. Ambrose, the university has experienced extraordinary enrollment growth and seen the establishment of several graduate study programs, which currently include ten master's and two doctoral programs. Several facilities have been built and renovated during his tenure, including the 50,000-square-foot University Library, dedicated in 1996.

"It's impossible to measure the contributions Ed and Bobbi have made to the St. Ambrose and Quad City communities," said the Most Rev. William Franklin, Bishop of the Diocese of Davenport and president of SAU's board of directors. "The Rogalskis truly epitomize St. Ambrose's values of community service and leadership."