LaGRANGE – LaGrange College officially unveiled the name of the Ida Callaway Hudson Lab Sciences building on Thursday to an excited group of staff, alumni and community members.

Hudson was the daughter of Callaway Foundation founder, Fuller E. Callaway, Jr. and Alice Callaway. She and her husband, Charles D. Hudson, spent a combined 51 years working with the foundation which has helped fund numerous community projects over the years, including the $17 million lab sciences building, but if she was alive she would have likely asked to forgo the honor, family members said.

“She was defined by her humility,” said Charlie Hudson Cauble, Ida Hudson’s grandson. “She was one of the most humble people I’ve ever known, and I think that was a quality that really attracted people to her, and she was genuinely humble when our nature is to be the opposite. … If she was alive today, she probably wouldn’t stand for this… and I think that is why it is so important for somebody who did so much good for this community, so much good for her family, for education in this community and everyone who knew her (to be recognized).”

The Callaway Foundation has sponsored college projects for years, in large part due to their converging goals and values, as well as the college’s impact on the community, and the college thanked the foundation as well as other donors and community members who worked to make the new building – and the classes that will take place there – possible for the college.

“We’ve got doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses throughout our community and many others with talents that were all educated here (at LaGrange College) and are valuable members of our community and continue to be members of our community,” said Speer Burdette, Callaway Foundation president. “… And it goes without saying that the college is an economic engine in this community.  You think about the employees here, the dollars that are spent on facilities here, the maintenance here, the budget of LaGrange College. This is very much a valuable part of the fabric of LaGrange and Troup County.”

The new science building features state of the art labs and equipment, naturally lit study spaces, LED lighting and a variety of other amenities that are sure to improve the education experience of students in the science, and as a small liberal arts college, LaGrange College makes a point of developing relationships with its students. In fact, several of the college’s science professors pointed out the study spaces near the classrooms as one of their favorite improvements because the increased opportunities for student, professor interaction.

“With a small school, we like to give that personal attention, and we feel like we do do that here,” said Dr. Sarah Beth Mallory, a professor of biology at LaGrange College.

The Ida Callaway Hudson Lab Sciences building will hold a ribbon cutting and open house for the public from 3:30 to 6 p.m. today.

Reach Alicia B. Hill at alicia.hill@lagrangenews.com or at 706-884-7311, Ext. 2154.

***

This story was edited to correct the name of Charlie Hudson Cauble who was previously listed as Charlie Hudson.