Groundbreaking ceremony set for Mih Family Fine Arts Center

CHANUTE, KAN. — september 1, 2025

Community members, alumni, and supporters are invited to join Neosho County Community College (NCCC) in attending a groundbreaking ceremony for the Mih Family Fine Arts Center on Thursday, September 11. The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. on the south lawn of Sanders Hall on the Chanute Campus, with refreshments provided following the event.

This event marks the start of construction on the renovated and expanded auditorium space, a key component of the college’s vision to enhance fine arts education and community engagement. The current 4,000-square-foot auditorium will be renovated and modernized, and a 400-square-foot greenroom, 1,300-square-foot scene shop, 2,315-square-foot gallery and event area, and a 1,300-square-foot courtyard will be newly constructed.

At a special meeting on August 21, the NCCC Board of Trustees awarded the construction contract to Loyd Builders in the amount of $5,751,600.

“We are excited to once again work with Loyd Builders,” said Dr. Brian Inbody, NCCC President. “We have partnered with them on several successful projects over the past 15 years, and they’ve always delivered exceptional quality.”

Funding for the Mih Family Fine Arts Center is supported through a lead donation from the family of former NCCC Instructor Mariam Mih and Dr. Alexander Mih.

Dr. Cathy Mih-Taylor and Dr. Alexander D. Mih, NCCC alumni and children of Dr. Alexander and Mariam Mih, facilitated the donation to memorialize their parents and the impact of NCCC on their entire family.

“Our mother, Mariam Mih, enjoyed a successful career at NCCC as an educator for over 30 years, later serving as a member of the NCCC Board of Trustees for 16 years. Our father, Dr. Alexander W.S. Mih, supported and encouraged all our academic pursuits, especially in the fine arts,” the siblings said in a statement on the project. “We believe these opportunities provide great benefits to students and to the community. It is a great privilege to support this wonderful project, and it is a blessing to honor the memory of our parents through this partnership with NCCC.”

Donations, grants, and pledges raised for the project total more than $4.5 million at the time of announcement. NCCC Trustees approved the sale of approximately $3.2 million in Certificates of Participation (COPs) to ensure the college can fully fund the anticipated $6.5 million project upfront, while maintaining flexibility to save on interest as pledges are fulfilled.

“This plan allows us to start construction immediately and purchase necessary equipment, while giving us the ability to pay down the amount as donations come in,” Inbody added. “We can’t build with a pledge—we need the funds in place now, and this approach makes that possible.”

For more information about the Mih Family Fine Arts Center project or to contribute, contact the NCCC Foundation at 620.432.0408 or foundation@neosho.edu.