By Whitney Knight

A dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the O’Brien Athletic Training Center on the campus of Mid-America Christian University on July 7. Community leaders and donors joined university employees, faculty, students, and supporters for the dedication, which was led by MACU president Dr. John Fozard and vice president for university advancement Rev. Steve Seaton. Also among those in attendance were Oklahoma City councilman David Greenwell, members of the Moore Chamber of Commerce, MACU Board of Trustees members, and three generations of the O’Brien family for which the facility was named.

President Fozard speaks at the ceremony.

The facility’s lead donor, Dr. Sean O’Brien of the Oklahoma Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, graduated from the university in 1989. His parents and older brother also attended and graduated from MACU, as did his daughter, son-in-law, and nieces. “My family believes in the mission of this university and the fact that they are Christ-centered in everything they do,” O’Brien said. “My family and I feel blessed to have been the lead donors on this facility. We are excited about seeing what the university will be able to accomplish with this new facility and how it will change the lives of the young people who step onto this campus.”

The 18,600-square-foot athletic facility includes a wellness and weight training room, new coaches’ offices, new locker rooms for outdoor sports, a training room, and a practice area with portable batting cages.

Greenwell, who serves Ward 5 of Oklahoma City where MACU is located, called the university a boon to the metro. “Mid-America Christian University is such a great asset to the city of Oklahoma City,” Greenwell said. “MACU is nationally recognized from an academic, as well as an athletic standpoint. Mayor David Holt and the city council recognize how much MACU adds to the city and the meaningfulness of this state-of-the-art facility.”

O’Brien Training Center exterior

MACU athletic director Marcus Moeller said he is excited for how the O’Brien Athletic Training Center will enhance the student-athlete experience at the university. “At the core of who we are, our athletic department serves to put Christ at the center of our programs, provide a vehicle for an incredible education and achieve an unparalleled level of competitive excellence,” Moeller said. “Each piece of this facility was carefully crafted to allow us to do these things at a deeper and greater level.”

Mid-America Christian University offers more than a hundred degree and certificate programs covering many specific fields. MACU is dedicated to offering a quality, affordable Christian education to traditional high school seniors, college transfers and busy adults who are looking to finish their education, pursue graduate work or get a college degree for the first time. MACU is an endorsed agency of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) and is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Visit www.macu.edu for more information.