ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø Names New Jerome Center after Former Board Member
Release Date: Thursday 2022-11-17
The ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø (ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø) Board of Trustees recognized former Board member LeRoy Craig on Monday night by naming the college’s new location in Jerome in his honor. The 20,000 square foot instruction and training facility, which is to be constructed on the corner of Third and Lincoln in Jerome, will significantly expand ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø’s presence in the community and will officially be known as the LeRoy Craig Jerome Center.
The proposal to name the new facility in honor of Craig was presented by ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø President Emeritus Jerry Meyerhoeffer, on behalf of himself and the college’s other living former presidents – Dr. Jerry Beck, Dr. Jeff Fox, and former interim president Curtis Eaton. During his presentation, Meyerhoeffer noted that he believed that the late Dr. James Taylor, the college’s founding president, would also have enthusiastically supported the recommendation. Current ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø President Dr. L. Dean Fisher also voiced his support for the proposal, acknowledging the past and present contributions that the Craig family has made to ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø and to the communities of Jerome and Twin Falls.
“The naming of the Jerome Center after LeRoy Craig is so deserved,” said Meyerhoeffer. A longtime Jerome businessman, Craig was originally appointed to the ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø Board of Trustees in August of 1974 and was first elected in January of 1975. Craig went on to serve as a trustee for the next 36 years, many of those as Board chair, before leaving the Board in 2010. During his tenure, Craig was often the only Board member from Jerome County and his dedication to the ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø and to his community created a legacy of family service, which includes several student scholarships that the Craig family has established through the ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø Foundation.
A letter of support signed by Meyerhoeffer, Beck, Eaton, and Fox points out that “Craig was engaged in almost every building on campus and all of the outreach centers, including ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø’s presence in Jerome. His contributions during his tenure on the ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø Board are inestimable.” In a statement following the meeting, Meyerhoeffer recalled the “positive impact that LeRoy’s service had on educational opportunities in the area, along with the quality of instruction that ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø students receive. The quality of life of every Magic Valley citizen has been enhanced by his service,” said Meyerhoeffer.
In recognition of his lifelong service to the ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø and to the community of Jerome, and in recognition of the ongoing commitment shown by the Craig family, the Board accepted the proposal to officially establish the LeRoy Craig Jerome Center. Current ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø Board Chair Laird Stone noted that the Board “considers it a privilege to have had the opportunity to name the Jerome Center after LeRoy to honor his years of dedicated service to ÑÇÖÞ²ÊƱ¹ÙÍø and to the community college district.”