Central College honored Earl Simmelink, a longtime and generous donor to the college, by naming the atrium in Graham Conference Center in his honor. The Earl Simmelink Atrium was dedicated Friday, Nov. 8, during a meeting with the National Advisory Council. Simmelink died March 19, 2016, in Baldwin, Wisconsin, at age 95. A lifelong farmer, Simmelink lived his entire life on a farm in Baldwin, Wisconsin, originally owned by his grandparents. Simmelink did not attend Central but was connected to the college through his sister, Ruth Simmelink Sims, Central Class of 1945. The Earl Simmelink Endowed Scholarship is awarded to a student with financial need and is renewable for four years. Simmelink’s life was marked by his generosity and service to other people. In total, he gave more than $600,000 to Central, including more than $500,000 from his estate.

“I’ve always enjoyed young people and I wanted to help them,” Simmelink said. “These scholarships are my way of doing that.”

“The Earl Simmelink Atrium will serve as an enduring symbol of his warmth, generosity, humility, stewardship and legacy,” says Sunny Gonzales Eighmy, vice president for advancement and a 1999 Central graduate. “We thank him for his faith in and extraordinary support of Central College.”