Crowd of 200 celebrates launch of $42M Stoddard Social Sciences Building

EPHRAIM—A crowd of about 200—including legislators, members of Snow College advisory boards, benefactors, college administrators and community leaders—gathered Monday to break ground on the $42 million Mark R. and LeAnn W. Stoddard Social Sciences Building.

The 45,000-square-foot, two-story building will front on Center Street just east of 100 East. The building will serve the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, which includes the Departments of Behavioral Science, Education and Family Studies, Exercise Science and Social Science.

Those departments offer associate degrees and certifications in 15 subjects, ranging from history and political science to psychology and criminal justice. They also offer numerous courses that fulfill general education requirements.

In fact, one rationale for the building was that 42 percent of students take one or more classes in the social and behavioral sciences during their time at Snow.

President Stacee McIff said the building had been “a long time coming,” She said Gary Carlston, who served as college president from 2014 to 2019, was the first to petition for a new social science building. “That was nearly a decade ago.”

In 2023-24, the Utah State Board of Higher Education ranked the building as a top capital-facility priority, McIff said. “But we needed outside funding to get legislative support. As so many times before, Mark and LeAnn (Stoddard) stepped up.”

The Stoddards, who live in Nephi, have been long-time supporters of Snow, both financially and in terms of service. McIff said they had served on every governing and advisory board at the college.

In 2024, the Legislature appropriated $31 million for the project. Several years ago, the Legislature set up a capital projects fund containing money saved from cuts and reprioritization at institutions. Colleges that have contributed to the savings are eligible to receive money from the fund.

The amount of the Stoddard donation was not disclosed. But Marci Larsen, chief of staff at Snow, said the $31 million appropriation, plus money from the special fund, plus the donation, were enough to fund the building.

“This building represents years of planning, partnership and shared vision,” McIff added. “The students who learn here will become teachers, coaches, mental health professionals, law enforcement officers, public servants and countless other professionals whose influence will extend far beyond the campus.”

Michael Brenchley, dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Science, told the crowd that in the social sciences, “…We analyze complex problems, we examine the community we live in, we study the organizations and families that one day our students will lead and be part of.

“The purpose here is not just to break ground, not just to construct classrooms,” but to create a place “where ideas can be challenged and perspective can be expanded.”

Brenchley mentioned names of at least a dozen faculty retired faculty members who had taught in the social and behavioral sciences over the past 40 years. A number of them were in the audience.

Mark Stoddard thanked President Carlston; Carlston’s wife Janet; legislators who helped push funding for the building through the Legislature and Commissioner of Higher Education Geoffrey Landward. “And anyone else,” he said, “… any possible help that came from donors and anyone else, we’re so grateful to every one of you. We cannot fully express how humbled we are.” 

The contractor for the project will be Layton Construction of Sandy, which was also contractor for the Eccles Center for the Performing Arts and the Huntsman Library.

Brian McBeth, vice president for Layton, recalled standing outside the completed Huntsman Library 17 years ago. He had been the project manager.

“It’s exciting to be here today, sharing this experience with you,” he said. “I look forward to the time when we will all be standing here again, cutting the ribbon and opening the doors for all to enjoy.”

He said the project continues a partnership between his company and Snow College that spans more than two decades and said the company was honored to “continue investing in a campus that our team genuinely enjoys being part of.”

The architecture firm for building the facility is VCBO of Salt Lake City, which has designed numerous higher education buildings in Utah, including buildings for the College of Medicine and College of Law at the University of Utah, and College of Veterinary Science at Utah State University. VCBO was also the architect for the Graham Science Center at Snow.

McBeth credited the firm with “coming up with a building that is not only beautiful but meets the budget.”

Mark Stoddard grew up in Ephraim and received an associate degree in business from Snow College. He and LeAnn Stoddard met while both were attending Snow College.

He received a bachelor’s in business administration from Utah State University and an MBA from BYU. He is now the CEO of Central Valley Medical Center and is involved in other healthcare businesses. He is a former chairman of the Snow College Board of Trustees and former president of the Alumni Association.

LeAnn Stoddard has served as vice president of the Snow College Foundation Board and been active in civic, educational, church and political organizations in Nephi.

In 2015, the Stoddards received the Benefactor Award, a national honor, from the Council for Resource Development, for their support of two-year colleges. Based in Silver Spring, Maryland, the council is a national association for fundraising at two-year institutions.