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May 10, 2002

New visitor's center to be named after John Chrystal, former Grinnell College trustee

GRINNELL, Iowa - John Chrystal, a long-time friend and former trustee at Grinnell College, will be remembered as an "extraordinary individual" at a ceremony to honor the Iowan at Grinnell College and to name the new admission and student services center as the John Chrystal Center.

Constructed entirely with materials from Iowa, the John Chrystal Center is located on the northwest corner of Sixth Avenue and Park Street. The ceremony will be Friday, May 10, 4:30 p.m., outside of Nollen House, next door to the John Chrystal Center.

"It is a great honor to name the new center after John Chrystal an extraordinary individual who applied his many talents for the benefit of Grinnell College, Iowa, and the world," said Russell K. Osgood, president of Grinnell College. "John was a leader and statesman, as well as a farmer, banker, and citizen ambassador whose life inspired all of us to make a difference in our communities and the world."

Chrystal, who died January 19, 2000, following a bout with cancer, was first named to the Grinnell College Board of Trustees in 1978.

Referred to as a farmer, banker, and citizen diplomat, Chrystal accounted among his friends Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union. He is credited with helping to develop a number of programs in support of agricultural development in Russia and other republics.

An atrium within the Chrystal Center will be named, Fell Atrium in honor of Robert Fell '25, who served as the general class agent during the development of the College's earliest volunteer programs, and as Alumni Association director.

The new John Chrystal Center was made possible partly through the generosity of John Chrystal, himself. It was designed by Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck Architecture, Des Moines and is a 28,000 square foot building which will house the offices of admission, financial aid, registrar, institutional research, and cashier. Construction will continue through the summer, with an official opening scheduled upon occupancy in the fall.