Gustafson Fine Arts Center
The original Fine Arts Building, constructed in 1956, housed the music and art
departments while also serving as a temporary home for the university’s art collection.
The university renovated and expanded the building in 1999 to accommodate for growth and
incorporate the speech department into the facility. The Gustafson Fine Arts Center,
named in honor of Dr. Dwight Gustafson, contains specially designed studios for voice,
piano, instruments, and pipe organ, as well as practice halls for orchestra, band,
chorus, and ensembles. The Music Library, with its large record, compact disc,
videocassette, and score collection, is located just inside the main entrance.
Dr. Dwight L. Gustafson (1930- ) served as Dean of the School of Fine Arts for 43 years, making him the longest-serving dean in the history of the school. A man of diverse talents, “Dr. Gus” has contributed greatly to endeavors in music, art, and drama. His musical works alone number over 160, including two operas, five film scores, and various works for orchestra, voice, and several different instruments. Widely recognized for his ability and accomplishments, he has earned numerous honors, including the Williamsburg Tercentenary Commission Competition and the ASCAP award.
Art Wing: Sargent Arts Building
The Sargent Arts Building includes offices, classrooms, and studios for painting,
drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and graphic arts. The Speech Department contains several
seminar and conference rooms, as well as standard classrooms and a multi-media
classroom. The Radio and Television Broadcasting Department facilities provide
classrooms, control rooms, radio studios, and a well-equipped television studio. The
studios of student-operated WBJU-FM (the campus FM radio station) and WBJU-TV (the
campus television network) are also housed in the Fine Arts Building.
Earle Wheaton Sargent (1898-1978) and Eleanor Greene Sargent (1899-1990), local industrialists and philanthropists, were generous benefactors to the University. In 1954, they established the Sargent Foundation, an organization that contributed greatly to community needs and student scholarships. Mr. and Mrs. Sargent desired to help others and sought to “make Greenville a better community.” In 1998, the University named its newly constructed Arts Building for the Sargents, a reminder of their selfless spirit of giving.