Recent gifts toward the historical reconstruction of Hulley Tower on Stetson University’s main campus signal that the fundraising for the “Stand Up Hulley” project has leapt forward. A state preservation grant of $500,000, recommended by the Florida Legislature and awarded by the governor in June 2024, helped to inspire alumni and friends of Stetson to contribute nearly $4.5 million to date. The university is tentatively planning a groundbreaking in late February, pending the campaign achieving its $6.7 million goal.

“It is remarkable how far we’ve come—I am wowed by the alumni support!” says Jill Jinks ’79, a lead member of the steering committee who has been instrumental in making this project a reality. “While the finish line is in sight, it will still take all of us to lift Hulley Tower toward the goal.”

Recent gifts will name the following:

Historical Memorial

“Wayne and I can’t think of a better way to honor my father and mother than to name the historical memorial that will sit in front of Hulley Tower,” says Jane Edmunds Novak, Stetson trustee emerita and daughter of the former president and chancellor J. Ollie Edmunds, who led Stetson 1947 to 1967, and Emily Edmunds. “Our family has a long history with Stetson and a love for the university. I grew up on its campus and remember with great fondness Hulley Tower and the sound of its bells echoing through the town. It will be wonderful to hear them ring again!”

Brockway Plaza

Surrounding Hulley Tower to the east will be a plaza area, named by alumni Susan ’79 and Peter ’78 Brockway, which will serve as a gathering place for Stetson as well as the DeLand community, with outdoor concerts and other activities such as the annual Yule Log ceremony, now in its 76th year.

“Peter and I are thrilled to be a part of the Soul of Stetson movement and the rebuilding of Hulley Tower and the bell carillon,” says Stetson trustee and alumna Susan Brockway, who is on the steering committee leading the effort. “Our hope is that the plaza will be a place to congregate on the center of campus, where the Stetson community can enjoy all types of events and gatherings on our beautiful campus.”

Mildred’s Firepit  

In honor of alumna Mildred Spalding ’81, her family and friends are making possible a firepit and seating area that reflects her love of nature.

“I am so grateful to my family and friends for this honor and the creation of a friendly space within the larger plaza at Hulley Tower where students can gather around the firepit and hang out together,” says Spalding, a member of the steering committee.

History and Impetus

Hulley Tower is unique in that it is a historic freestanding bell tower on a university campus, built in 1934 by then-President Lincoln Hulley, who is interred there with his wife, Eloise. The tower had to be taken down to its base in 2005 after sustaining catastrophic damage during consecutive hurricanes the year prior.

Alumni interest in a memorial was the impetus for the campaign in 2023 to rebuild the tower, as alumni sought a way to remember and recognize three classmates (Scotty Fenlon, Katy Resnik and Dennis Long) who died in January 1979 in an avalanche on a study abroad trip to Innsbruck, Austria. Their stories, and many others, have been captured in the “Remembering Innsbruck” documentary, which was nominated for a regional Emmy Award this year.

Hulley Tower will become not only a memorial to any student who passed while attending Stetson, but also a symbol of the indomitable Stetson spirit, offering a vibrant space to gather and celebrate as a community. This need for remembrance has grown into the Soul of Stetson initiative that connects past, present and future generations.

“The rebuilding of Hulley Tower and the return of bells to the Stetson campus is such a fitting way to recognize the Soul of Stetson and to remember our friends and classmates,” says alumnus Jep Barbour ’79, cousin to Scotty Fenlon and steering committee co-chair. “Hulley Tower, its bells and surrounding grounds will be a fitting memorial to Scotty, Katy and Dennis, and all Stetson students whom we have lost.”

The first Hulley Tower bell cast was in honor of Scotty, Katy and Dennis on the 45th anniversary of the avalanche in January 2024. The bell was unveiled and rung for the first time on campus by the Fenlon family at Alumni Homecoming in October 2024; it was also part of Stetson’s Values Day programming on Nov. 14.

“The Soul of Stetson initiative has galvanized and energized the Stetson community, bringing together a wide variety of stakeholders from longtime DeLand residents to our newest freshmen,” says alumna Karen Schmitt Roberts ’80, steering committee co-chair. “The history of the tower and the bells provides an immediate connection—one that resonates deeply and is a tangible symbol of shared values.”

Karen, along with Jill, Mildred and Susan, were on the mountain in 1979 when the avalanche occurred.

Fundraising for Hulley Tower continues through February toward the $6.7 million goal, which includes $1 million for an endowed maintenance fund. Construction would take approximately nine months.