Contact: Maridith Geuder
A senior architecture major from Houston is receiving a unique Mississippi State scholarship associated with the university's 20th century history.
John C. Stantz is the 2001 Charles H. Dean Endowed Scholar in Architecture. The $1,000 award memorializes the Jackson architect who designed MSU's Chapel of Memories--possibly the most photographed building on campus--as well as numerous churches around the state.
Dean Scholars must be full-time students who have completed the second year of design studio in the School of Architecture's five-year bachelor's degree program.
Stantz, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stantz, is a graduate of Houston High School. The Chickasaw Countian has been a President's Scholar every semester at MSU since enrolling in the fall of 1998.
Dean's firm, Dean & Pursell, was recruited in the early 1960s to design a new university landmark that would replace an old one. Completed in 1966 at a cost of nearly $300,000, the chapel is made with bricks salvaged from historic Old Main Dormitory.
Destroyed by fire in 1959, Old Main was considered the world's largest university student residence, housing more than 1,500 men at its peak. One student died in the fire.
For its creation, Dean & Pursell received the Mississippi Chapter, American Institute of Architects' 25-Year Honor Award for Design Excellence.
The Dean Scholarship was established by Richard Dean, president of Dean & Dean Associates, successor to the firm his father founded in 1949. "Charlie" Dean retired from professional practice in 1992 and died in 1997.
The Dean firm is among the state's largest and is registered to do business in nearly 30 other states. Almost 40 of its projects have been recognized with honor awards and design citations at state, regional, national, and international levels.