New NGCSU residence hall to honor former school president

DAHLONEGA - Trustees of the North Georgia College & State University Foundation voted to name the newest building at North Georgia College & State University in honor of the 12th president of the university, John<br> H. Owen.<br> <br> The first apartment-style residence hall on campus will be dedicated as the John H. Owen Hall at a formal ceremony this fall. The<br> large construction rising above campus off of the Morrison-Moore Parkway, across from the Dahlonega Post Office and near the NGCSU Alumni<br> Center is the first privately funded building at North Georgia. <br> <br> &#34;The new residence hall is under the control of the NGCSU Foundation, and the Foundation arranged the construction funding and is<br> the leaseholder of the property,&#34; explained NGCSU President Nathaniel Hansford. &#34;The Board of Trustees of the Foundation voted to name the new residence hall in honor of Dr. Owen, who served as president longer than<br> any other president of this institution and who led the University during a period of significant progress.&#34;<br> <br> At age 47, Owen was among the youngest - if not the youngest - of the North Georgia presidents when, in 1970, he began his 22 years as president of what was then North Georgia College. <br> <br> The building that will bear his name is the tallest building on campus, with five stories, covering 118, 454 gross square feet. It will house 314 beds for North Georgia students and is expected to be ready for occupancy by mid-August when students return for the<br> fall semester. Dr. Owen, who retired in June 1992, saw student enrollment almost<br> triple during his presidency, and the number of faculty members at North Georgia did triple.