NW Missouri Times

The Northwest Missouri State University community gathered Friday to dedicate the Hubbard Hearth and Fireplace, a new outdoor structure added to the north patio of the Thomas Gaunt House. The addition was made possible by a multi-year gift from the Hubbard family.

The ceremony highlighted the significance of the Gaunt House as a longstanding venue for university events and connections. Northwest President Dr. Lance Tatum stated, “The Gaunt House has been the backdrop for countless moments of connection, connections for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of Northwest who find not just a house, but a home. So today, that sense of warmth and welcome grows stronger, thanks to the generosity of the two remarkable members of this Bearcat family, President Dean L. and First Lady Aleta Hubbard.”

Dean L. Hubbard led Northwest Missouri State University from 1984 to 2009. His leadership included initiatives such as “Culture of Quality,” which aimed at continuous improvement across university operations.

Dr. Tom Vansaghi reflected on his experience with Dean Hubbard both as a student and later as an assistant during Hubbard’s presidency. Vansaghi said, “Dean taught me that leadership was not about titles or accolades. It’s about lighting fires in others and helping them burn brightly with purpose, compassion and hope. So the Hubbard Hearth and Fireplace will forever stand as a symbol of that light – a place where future generations will gather, learn, dream and grow. It will remind us that we were all called to mentor, to lift, to nurture and to ignite the potential in those around us.”

Student Senate President Anna Tucker also spoke at the event about activities hosted by current President Dr. Lance Tatum and First Lady Jill Tatum at Gaunt House: “These gatherings remind us that the heart of our campus is not found only in programs or facilities, but in the relationships that we build with one another.”

Dr. Melody Messner represented her parents Dean and Aleta Hubbard at the ceremony: “It was within the context of relationship-building activities that my parents told the Northwest story,” Messner said. “They invited support for the challenges that Northwest faced. They explained the Northwest mission, and they helped connect the dots between strategic goals and initiatives.” She added: “This hearth is a symbol of the relationship-building legacy my parents have left to President Tatum and our First Lady, Jill.”

The Thomas Gaunt House itself dates back to construction in the 1870s; it has been listed on National Register of Historic Places since 1979 and has served as home for every president since Northwest’s founding in 1905.