Student Life

Forever Uplifted

The Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse represents the single largest public-private partnership in Northwest’s history and one of the largest such projects in the region.

The Hughes Fieldhouse was designed to meet the following goals:

Promoting health and wellness

• Chat with a Cat at the Track invites all Northwest students, employees and community members to walk from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each Friday at the Hughes Fieldhouse. Participation in the activity is free and attendees are welcome to come and go as they need.
• Hy-Vee Kids Fit helps grade-school students in Nodaway County develop fitness knowledge while learning fun activities to improve their health and physical education. Students also enjoy a delicious and healthy meal, provided by Hy-Vee.

Providing a competitive advantage

• During inclement weather, Bearcat athletics uses the Hughes Fieldhouse for practice. The facility offers a competitive advantage for recruiting students during campus visits and other events on campus.

Enhancing recruitment

• During the 2018-2019 academic year, 4,688 families toured campus and learned about the Hughes Fieldhouse, aiding in a 3.6 percent enrollment increase and a total headcount of 7,104 – the third-highest in our institution’s history.
• The more than 190-member Bearcat Marching Band uses the Hughes Fieldhouse to prepare for hyping game day crowds and showcasing their musical talents during home football games.
• Students stay active in the 25 intramural and club sports that allow them to challenge friends to activities such as basketball, badminton and dodgeball.

Strengthening economic development

• A third-party economic impact study reported the Hughes Fieldhouse could provide an additional economic impact of $23.8 million, the equivalent of creating 946 new jobs for the region.
• During the 2018-2019 academic year, the Hughes Fieldhouse accommodated five track meets. Attendees occupied the city’s hotels and restaurants, ultimately strengthening Maryville’s economy.

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