FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History" continues with the 17th moment on the list: Nova Southeastern breaks ground on the Don Taft University Center. 
With just over 40 years of existence, the leaders at NSU were looking to curve the public perception of NSU from being a professional school to a premier university for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Their dream would start to become a reality on April 21, 2004, when NSU broke ground on what would be named the Don Taft University Center.
 
"This building will be the last major infrastructure for the campus," said NSU President Ray Ferrero after the groundbreaking to the Sun Sentinel. "It will seat about 5,000 people. It will have retractable seating so we can use the building for intramural sports. The building will have a wellness center, racquetball and squash courts. We are going to be starting a fund-raising drive for this new building. A major donor would have the opportunity to put a name on the University Center."

President Ferrero would find that sponsor in Don Taft. Mr. Taft's gift to the university allowed NSU to become the home of Special Olympics Broward County, and the Don Taft University Center still annually holds events for the local Special Olympics.

Today, the 366,000-square foot Don Taft University Center is a focal point for campus life at NSU and features a 4,500-seat arena, state-of-the-art wellness and fitness center, performing and visual arts wing, food court and the Flight Deck – NSU's student lounge. While it is a central hub for NSU students, faculty and staff, the Don Taft University Center also plays host to many events for the South Florida community.

"The Don Taft University Center has a story of its own, but it certainly is the physical hallmark of our athletic program today and since its opening in 2005-06 and serves as a central hub on campus for not only our students but for the student body as a whole," said Director of Athletics Michael Mominey. "I would say the vision back in 2003-05 that was vetted pretty much came to fruition as we know it today. There were 18 months of meetings to discuss what should be included in the building and what the priorities should be – an interesting process to say the least. In the end, and literally at the end of every meeting that I attended, we ended with a 'student first perspective' as the priority and as a result, I believe that that is what you see today: an impressive physical structure but most importantly a real central meeting place for all students on the campus."

The groundbreaking allowed NSU's volleyball and basketball teams to move from the Broward College gymnasium to the main campus. Fans have filled the "Shark Tank" ever since, with over 1,000 fans attending the last two NSU-hosted NCAA South Region Women's Basketball Tournaments and the 2013 homecoming game.

Check back with NSUSharks.com next Tuesday for the next #NSU50 "Top Moments in NSU Athletics History."

Moment No. 1: NSU Athletics is Born
Moment No. 2: Knights Chosen as School Mascot
Moment No. 3: Hansley Hired as Director of Athletics
Moment No. 4: Nova Adds Four Sports
Moment No. 5: Nova Joins NAIA
Moment No. 6: Nova Adds Three More Teams
Moment No. 7: Nova Helps Form FIAC
Moment No. 8: Nova Wins First Conference Championship
Moment No. 9: Baseball and Volleyball Win First Conference Titles
Moment No. 10: NSU Adds Softball
Moment No. 11: NSU Adds Women's Soccer and Wins FSC Tournament Championship
Moment No. 12: NSU Names Ray Ferrero Jr. as School's Fifth President
Moment No. 13: NSU Adds Women's Basketball and Wins Conference Title in First Season
Moment No. 14: NSU Jumps to NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference
Moment No. 15: Kyle Ruwe Becomes NSU's First NCAA All-American
Moment No. 16: NSU adds Rowing, Tennis and Men's Cross Country

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