On June 8, 1966, a tornado tore through the Washburn University campus, causing significant damage to several buildings. 

In the aftermath, Former President John W. Henderson immediately began the construction of a new building. While the current Henderson Learning Resources Center wasn’t completed until 1971, it was an important step in the university’s recovery. The building was named in honor of  President Henderson in 1976 for his role during the reconstruction process. Over the years, Henderson became a central point on campus and home to the Washburn University Business School and many other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

Henderson has lasted as an academic building for the last 50 plus years but has seen minor renovations. The renovations in 2007 and 2019 addressed minor concerns, but the need for modernizations still remained. Today, with a projected budget of $35 million, Washburn prepares for a major renovation of Henderson. 

Henderson Learning Resources Center will be renamed as, “Advisors Excel Hall.” While it won’t be “Henderson,” the name many are accustomed to, the new name reflects the connection to Washburn’s community and Topeka. 

The renaming is the result of a partnership between Washburn University and Advisors Excel, a local business founded by Cody Foster and David Callanan, Washburn alumni. Both recognize the importance of investing in Washburn, and this partnership serves as an example of a homegrown Washburn story.

“Washburn approached myself and Dave Callanan, my partner here and co-founder, about providing a lead gift to help fund the renovation and I would say modernization of Henderson,” Foster said. “We both saw that as not just a great opportunity for Washburn, I think a great opportunity for the community.”

This renovation is more than just a physical update, but a sign that Washburn is committed to providing students with the best possible learning environment. The changes being made are aimed at creating a space that better meets the needs of today’s students. 

“We believe in some of the things that they thought would create a better experience for students,” Foster said. “A better building that is more equipped for how students are studying and learning today.” 

The renovations will also include specialized labs, such as an entrepreneurship and finance lab. All classrooms will be more technologically equipped, re-designed to be on a single level by removing the current tiered seating and improving the accessibility of classrooms. 

Foster shares his thoughts on the importance of updating Henderson to align with other business schools in the surrounding area. 

“Being able to renovate Henderson in a way where it is on par with some of the other business schools in the surrounding area … when you compare KU or K-State’s business schools to what Henderson looks like, they are significantly different,” Foster said. 

As part of the renovation, there will be a dedicated space to honor former President Henderson. While the building no longer will be named after him, Washburn wants to make sure his story as well as the building’s history is known by all who pass through. 

Construction will begin at the end of the spring semester, starting in May, and is set to reopen Jan. 2027. This 18–month project will transform Henderson into a more modernized space. While departments will mostly remain the same, there will be shifts in office locations.

The School of Business will temporarily move to the Washburn University Foundation building, next to the Ross House, while the College of Arts and Sciences will relocate to the International House. Other departments will also relocate, but will return to the Advisors Excel Hall when the renovation is completed in early 2027. 

With this project the dean of the School of Business, David Sollars, is not only looking to provide a more modernized building, but connect students with such a dynamic company such as Advisors Excel for further opportunities. 

“Having a very dynamic company like Advisors Excel – they hire a ton of our students and they have a ton of our interns,” Sollars said. “They have human resource needs, they have jobs they need to fill and our job is to try to help students fill those jobs.”

The collaboration between Washburn University and Advisors Excel shows the shared success of the university and the Topeka community. Foster and Sollars emphasize that the success of Washburn and Topeka are closely related. 

“I’m really excited about the future of Washburn,” Foster said. “There’s an understanding right now that hasn’t always been there about Washburn success and Topeka success [being] so closely intertwined … one doesn’t succeed without the other.”

The renovation of Henderson is not just about updating a building, but instead creating a space that will support the future success of Washburn’s students and strengthen the connection with the Topeka community. 

Edited by Stuti Khadka and Jeremy Ford