Bushnell University kicked off the 130th academic year on August 26, 2025 at the annual Convocation Chapel. The event included a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the reopening of a renovated Goodrich Hall and the newly constructed Donna Racine Pomajevich Bell Tower, followed by a blessing and a first official ringing of the Bells at Bushnell.
Hallowed Goodrich Hall lives again, animated by a new cast of students, a beautiful and functional tower, and a complete internal renovation. This fall, following its rededication and reopening, Goodrich returns to its role as the academic center for Bushnell University.
This dramatic revitalization almost didn’t happen. In 2017, plans were drawn up to demolish and replace the old building with a much larger and more versatile academic center. This potential change was not popular among alumni, but University leadership viewed it as a necessary sacrifice in light of the constraints of a small campus with very little room to grow. The old administration building, named for generous philanthropist Martha Goodrich, was only operating at about 30% capacity due to lack of an elevator, outdated plumbing and heating, and outdated classrooms.
“It was emotional but seemed necessary at the time,” said President Joseph Womack. “Any and all alumni since early years had memories of major life decisions and experiences happening in the middle of that beautiful stack of stones.” The original building, built in Italian Renaissance style with stonework forged in southern Oregon, was dedicated on October 18, 1895 and completed at the cost of $50,000.
However, the pandemic of 2020 put an abrupt halt to replacement plans. The former Phoenix Inn, built on University property, relinquished its final six years on a long-term lease (due to low occupancy during COVID), turning the focus of campus development to student housing. Renovating the hotel for residential life purposes took priority, with Frank ’66 and Linda (Butler) Morse ’64 leading the way. The Morses donated a $1,000,000 naming gift, choosing to honor President Emeritus James ’62 and Sharron Kay (McCullough) Womack ’63. “Jim [Womack] had a vision and strategy for that property three decades ago that have paid off in huge ways,” explained Frank Morse.
With the largest and best student residence shifting to the north side of campus, plans were birthed for the Duke Student Commons [named for donors John and Marilyn Duke] to house a new dining hall and student center. A sweeping capital campaign took form (Venture Forward), which allowed the future of Goodrich Hall to be reimagined.
Structural challenges and space limitations in the original Goodrich building made it difficult to add the elevator, bathrooms, and second stairwell needed to bring the building into full functionality. However, friend of the University, architect Russ Taylor (The Taylor Group Architects) found a better alternative and designed a stand-alone tower which connects to each floor of the original building. The new tower holds an elevator, a second staircase, and bathrooms on each floor, but its signature feature is the cross-topped Bell Tower which reaches six stories high. The largest donors to the Goodrich project were Jim ’64 and Donna (Racine) Pomajevich ’63. Donna’s passing in 2024 led to the naming of the tower in her honor. Each custom-crafted bell was gifted by four legacy families with a deep ties in the community. They honor Linda McKay Korth, the late Edwin (Ted) Baker, the late Ada O. L. Lee, and the extended Faye and Lucille Stewart family (see pg. 10-11 for more details). The bells play the historic Westminster Chimes melody to mark time and call the campus to worship for chapel services. They will also ring ceremonially for convocation and commencement ceremonies.
The Goodrich renovation required a near-complete gutting, but architects were able to preserve the original weight-bearing vertical posts and beautiful old beam-work in the ceilings. The exposed and refinished timber gives the building a grand sense of history, but is paired with fully modern furniture, décor, classroom technology, and lighting. The original single-pane windows were replaced with double-paned versions, but replicated to sustain the look and feel of the past. And as a final touch, faux tile matching the Goodrich stone adorns the first fourteen feet of the tower’s exterior bringing visual cohesion to the connected structures.
Floors one and two are composed almost entirely of classrooms and study rooms. The third floor houses the Office of the President and University Advancement, including gathering spaces to entertain alumni, donors, and friends. The beautiful J. Douglas McKay Conference Room honors the late Doug McKay, a generous communitarian who gave $500,000 to the project in its earliest days. “Doug’s timely gift, shortly before his death, granted confidence and forward progress to our fund-raising efforts,” says Dr. Corynn Gilbert, Director of Development. “He helped us believe that God would do this and that people would join us in the campaign.” Indeed, another $800,000 from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust accelerated the effort and provided the final funds needed to complete the renovation and construction.
At the August 26th convocation, rededication, and ribbon-cutting, the bells played the first line of “All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name,” the hymn that was sung at the building’s original dedication ceremony. Prince Lucien Campbell, then-president of the University of Oregon and the nephew of Alexander Campbell (co-founder of the Stone-Campbell Movement of churches), spoke to over 600 people at that 1908 event. The 2025 rededication featured the presence and support of educators, business leaders, politicians, trustees, pastors, faculty, staff, and the largest class of incoming freshmen in the University’s history.
Only God knows the prayers Goodrich Hall has held in secret over the last 130 years, but we do know she will again play the host for future generations of students who will make life-altering, faith-affirming decisions within her hallowed halls.