PORT ANGELES — Peninsula College President Tom Keegan will bid the school farewell at the end of this week.
But, before he leaves, Olympic Peninsula residents are invited to a farewell reception at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Pirate Union Building on the main campus, 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd., Port Angeles.
The reception will honor Keegan’s 11 years at the helm of the school.
He will assume his new post as president of Skagit Valley College on March 3, having left an indelible stamp upon the campus.
On Jan. 10, the Peninsula College Board of Trustees recognized Keegan’s contributions by naming one of the buildings built during his tenure after him.
The $22 million science and technology building, which opened in 2007 and known simply as the M Building, is now Keegan Hall.
Keegan, who will earn $200,000 at Skagit Valley, replaces outgoing President Gary Tollefson at the college, a two-year community college about one hour north of Seattle that has an enrollment of about 23,000.
Keegan was earning $204,434 in August at Peninsula College, which has an enrollment of about 8,100.
Brinton Sprague, a retired community college leader living in Port Ludlow, will take over after Keegan leaves and will oversee the transition to a new permanent president.
His contract says he will serve from Feb. 9 through June 30 and he will be paid $59,195, which is based on an annual salary of $150,000 for 261 days, prorated for the 103 days he is expected to serve.
If no permanent president is in place by the end of June, the trustees and Sprague can agree to continue the contract.
Keegan led the college through dramatic enrollment growth, a transformation of the teaching and learning environment and a $120 million capital construction campaign which restored or replaced 75 percent of campus facilities.
In addition to Keegan Hall, those projects included:
■ The $830,000 Peninsula College Longhouse House of Learning, the only facility of its kind built on a college campus, which was opened Oct. 15, 2007, in conjunction with the Jamestown S’Klallam, Lower Elwha Klallam, Hoh, Quileute, Makah and Port Gamble S’Klallam tribes.
■ A $14 million library and administration building, linked by a bridge that forms a formal entryway to the campus, which were completed in August 2008.
■ The $36 million Maier Hall, which opened with 61,750 square feet of space for art, math, liberal arts and music programs — as well as a 130-seat performance hall.
■ Rebuilt soccer fields at the Wally Sigmar Athletic Complex, which now have $1.5 million of artificial turf and have been rededicated.
From 2001-2011, Peninsula College also expanded classroom space, locating satellite campuses in buildings in Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend and expanding into a larger space in downtown Forks.
In 2004, Peninsula College was allowed to grant baccalaureate degrees in conjunction with other colleges.
The program was expanded in 2010, when the college was established as an independent degree-granting institution.
Keegan was a key player in the college’s being awarded $15 million in grants over six years, earned through partnerships with local industry.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.