Fine Arts Center

The Fine Arts Center also serves as the region’s primary performing arts venue and an important downtown anchor, with no comparable venue within a 70-mile radius. Tens of thousands of people attend dozens of events each year, and this constant activity has resulted in deterioration. After 50 years of serving Viterbo and La Crosse, it’s time to refresh and update this cherished space. A fully renovated and expanded Fine Arts Center will ensure Viterbo can pursue expanded programming and remain a competitive choice for talented students and faculty.

Campaign Priorities:

• Install a new lighting system in the main theatre for a quality experience
• Replace seats and the sound system in the Nola Starling Recital Hall
• Ensure technical back-of-house necessities, such as upgraded dressing rooms
• Install an elevator for increased audience access to the LaCroix Black Box Theatre

“It’s hard to imagine La Crosse without the Fine Arts Center. In 1965, the Franciscan Sisters had the foresight to see the impact the arts would have on Viterbo and the region. Now, almost 60 years later, we remind ourselves of their vision. Art doesn’t just happen. It takes commitment, intention, and upkeep. The reward? A Fine Arts Center that brings the community together again and again.”

“Updating and maintaining the Fine Arts Center will allow us to continue to serve our campus, our community, and the region with local, national, and international performing arts in a venue that feels as intense and alive as it did when it first opened. And that’s our goal. To keep the vision alive—for the students, performers, patrons, and artists who use this amazing center.”

Student Union

Viterbo University has long recognized and invested in the power of a nurturing community. Yet one critical component is missing on campus: a vibrant, central physical space where this spirit of community can grow. Today, our Student Union is a sound and well-kept structure. But its last major updates occurred decades ago, during a different era of student life. Significant updates must occur to transform the aging Student Union from a quiet, underused space to a vibrant, energizing hub of activity.

Campaign Priorities:

• Redesign the Student Union as a true “home base” for student life and activity
• Connect it with two other 24/7 student life spaces, the Hawk’s Nest and the Port
• Enhance student accessibility and demonstrate hospitality with a new elevator

“Campus is an incubator community. Our students are not just learning professional skills, they’re also learning social skills. Third spaces, like the Student Union, feel like home away from home, provide a sense of community, encourage local students to stay on campus on the weekends, and give student organizations spaces for their events. The more vibrant and engaging these third spaces are, the more vibrant and engaging the campus experience is for our students.”

“Students hang out in spaces they feel most comfortable in, which tend to be where they have the most classes. The Student Union is one of the only places on campus that isn’t major-specific. It’s a social space. Improvements to the Student Union would build connections across different majors.”