ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — On Thursday, Henderson State Athletics announced the completion and opening of the Charles and Anita Cabe Student-Athlete Success Center, officially unveiling a project that has been in the works since 2017.

The gleaming, state-of-the-art facility, which was made possible by a gift from Anita and the late Charles Cabe of Gurdon, Arkansas through the C. Louis and Mary C. Cabe Foundation, is now available for use to all Henderson State student-athletes. Plans for a grand opening ceremony of the new complex are in the works for this fall. Detailed information on the grand opening will be provided at a later date.

"I am so incredibly excited and proud to see this new facility unveiled today," Anita Cabe said. "It was always our goal to be able to provide something that would impact Henderson State student-athletes for generations to come and this academic center is the culmination of that dream. I want to thank Shawn Jones, SCM Architects and Hart Construction for their help on every step of this journey, as well as everyone who donated and helped make this vision a reality. I am so thrilled for the student-athletes to be able to start using this resource now and I look forward to celebrating a grand opening ceremony with friends, family and all of our generous supporters in the fall."

The 4,230 square foot academic facility now sits connected to the west side of the Formby Athletic Center and features a group-sized study room, 15-person computer lab, study lounge, new office for the academic advisor, private study carrels and a full-sized classroom for team study halls. A glassed in foyer welcomes students and guests into the building and houses plaques honoring Charles and Anita Cabe, as well as the C. Louis and Mary C. Cabe Foundation and all of the contributors to the project.

The construction of the Charles and Anita Cabe Student-Athlete Success Center also created an extra 1,490 square feet of weight room space, which provided the opportunity to revamp the work-out area which serves every Henderson State athletic program. The weight room features 15 Reddies-branded weight racks, new heavy-duty rubber flooring, enhanced lighting, and new wall signage. The expansion increases the amount of student-athletes allowed in the weight room at the same time by 25%.

"I want to once again thank Charles and Anita Cabe for their vision, generosity and spirit, which helped make this dream of theirs a reality today," Shawn Jones said. "None of this is possible without their selflessness and love for Henderson State University. I also want to thank SCM Architects and Hart Construction for their fabulous work constructing this beautiful facility. I know how unbelievably excited our student-athletes are to have a resource like this available to them, and I have no doubt that this facility will positively impact the lives of Reddie student-athletes for years to come."