HSU chancellor talks campus renovations, intramural field plans, Captain Henderson House –

The Captain Henderson House at 10th and Henderson streets in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. | Henderson State University photo

Lots of things are happening at Henderson State University.

In a phone interview Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, Chancellor Trey Berry told The Arkadelphian about a slew of ongoing renovations and upcoming projects.

Captain Henderson House

An historical Arkadelphia landmark, the Captain Henderson House is no longer under management of the David Goodman family, who surrendered the lease in recent weeks to seek other ventures. 

Berry said HSU is currently developing a business plan and expects to reopen the Victorian mansion in late summer 2025. The university, according to Berry, will devise how to best use the space for the good of both the campus and community.

Intramural fields

In the decade or so since Reddie Villa Apartments were erected on 10th Street north of M.H. Russell Drive, Henderson students have been without intramural fields. University officials are in the midst of fundraising for the addition of intramural fields and green space to improve campus life. 

Once funding is in place, Berry said, Henderson will commence to razing three university-owned properties, with the exception of the Jane Ross House, which was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places. 

Once cleared, the acreage — a large city block between Henderson and Haddock streets — will encompass intramural football and soccer fields and other green space.

Renovations

Since Berry took the helm, Henderson has renovated and re-opened its state-of-the-art Simonson Biological Field Station on the DeGray Lake shoreline about 6 miles east of Bismarck. Berry said students and faculty are again using the facility for research and education.

Renovations are also under way at Russell Fine Arts, the Education Building, Smith Hall dormitory, the flight operation center at Dexter Florence Memorial Field, Reynolds Science Center and Mooney Hall’s exterior. University officials are also applying for grants to renovate the Jane Ross House. 

Student recruitment

If prospective student interest is an indication of growth, future enrollment could be on the rise. Berry reported that applications for the fall 2025 semester are up 46% over the previous term, and the number of students who have accepted scholarship funding is up by 500. Berry said the School with a Heart’s personalized touch to recruiting efforts at high schools throughout Arkansas is paying off.

Future Reddies are also being sought after by former Reddies, as the recent launch of the Reddie Network — a “recruitment army” consisting of Henderson alumni — has added some 600 alumni since fall 2024. Among the objectives of the Reddie Network is to aid in job placement for graduates, particularly those in the education field, including teachers, administrators and coaches.

Athletics

Berry said fundraising is under way to add a covered facility for baseball practice at Clyde Berry Field. Artificial turf has been installed at both the baseball and softball fields, and Reddie Athletics are in the process of hiring a coach to lead the newly re-established track program.

Cafeteria

Community patrons are now welcome at Malachi Smith Dining Hall on Sunday afternoons. Since it opened to the general public in the fall semester, Berry said, more than 1,700 have graced the doors for a Sunday afternoon meal.

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