BELTON, Texas—The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) is excited to announce plans to build a new state-of-the-art special education training and instructional facility. Fikes/CEFCO made the lead gift of $1 million for UMHB's Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation, an 11,000-square-foot space expected to cost $6 million. Upon its completion in the fall of 2023, this facility will serve as the premier center for special education training and instruction in the country and enable UMHB's College of Education to continue to train and inspire college students to pursue a career in special education.
"UMHB believes college students need experience within the safety of a UMHB facility, with their instructors present to guide them, as they learn the intricacies of teaching students with disabilities," explained Dr. Joan Berry, dean of UMHB's College of Education. "This new facility is a game-changer for UMHB. It will allow both general education and special education majors to connect what they are doing in the classroom with what they experience working directly with students from the community."
The facility's name honors the meaningful relationship between Evan Smith, a 2013 graduate of Belton High School and 2017 graduate of Texas A&M University, and Logan Marek, a 2017 Belton High School graduate with autism. Before Evan's death in 2018, he had a passion for young people with disabilities. He dedicated his time to volunteering with Young Life Capernaum, a ministry organization where teens and young adults with disabilities can meet Jesus and grow in their faith. Evan enjoyed working with teenagers with disabilities in Belton and College Station and serving as a personal care provider for Logan. Today, Logan lives in the Belton area and works part-time at UMHB and Eldred's Nursery.
According to Beverly Stephens, a UMHB graduate (Masters in Counseling Psychology, 2004) and retired Belton ISD teacher and counselor, Evan and Logan had an unlikely friendship that inspired many people. She told the following story about how Evan helped Logan participate in the youth fair: "[Evan] got a pig donated, raised and fed the pig twice daily for months, worked with the pig to train it to walk in the ring, and then finally brought Logan to meet the pig. When the youth fair rolled around, Logan and Evan made their appearance in the ring to the cheering crowd… Logan's pig got second in the show; Evan's placed fifth… Logan's pig raised $3,300, and Logan's parents wanted to give the money to Evan for his college fund. Evan refused the money and donated it to the Belton High School Pre-Prom fund. Pre-Prom is a special prom for special education students like Logan."
"Evan was an amazing person, and he touched many lives with his heart of compassion and love for young people with disabilities," said UMHB President Dr. Randy O'Rear. "We are grateful to Fikes/CEFCO for their generous lead gift. I can't think of a more meaningful way to honor such a remarkable young man. The university's new highly innovative Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation will continue Evan's legacy by richly preparing future educators to serve students with disabilities."
UMHB is the only known university in the United States to currently have a special needs lab in which undergraduate education majors work directly with children with disabilities, ages 3-21. The existing special needs lab serves the academic, social, and sensory needs of 50-60 children each week. As the university grows and recognizes the ongoing demand for highly trained teachers, this new state-of-the-art facility will lead the way for training and educating special education instructors. With cutting-edge technology, resources, equipment, and tools, the new Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation, which will be located at the corner of 11th Avenue and Pearl Street, will enhance the learning experience of UMHB students and benefit the participants.
"I traveled the country researching special education best practices and saw various equipment and technology we will bring into our new facility," said Dr. Kris Ward, coordinator of UMHB's special education programs. "During the site visits, I experienced an immersion room and knew that our students would greatly benefit from this state-of-the-art technology. We will have different sensory rooms to address various needs of children with disabilities, including the High Impact Zone and the Multisensory Room."
Ward explained how the center will benefit all who use it, including students, children and parents. "UMHB students will hone skills they've learned in the classroom; the participating children will receive research-based interventions and strategies; and parents will experience benefits for their child now and invest in their child's future special education teachers," Ward said. "The new center will be a win for everyone!"
To learn more about or donate to the new Marek-Smith Center for Teacher Preparation, call 254-295-5451.
