In all the 58 years former UNC Pembroke Chancellor Dr. Joseph and First Lady Adrienne Oxendine were married, she always planned something special for his birthday.
Trips to the theatre. Fancy dinners. Surprise parties.
"There were some wonderful celebrations," said Adrienne, overcome with emotion. "To have a building named for him, this has to top them all. It shows the appreciation for his efforts and his professional accomplishments.
"You have recognized him in the most special way and I thank you from the bottom of my heart," she said.
Thursday would have been Oxendine's 92nd birthday. He passed away in April 2020. Family, friends, former colleagues and university leaders gathered Thursday to honor his legacy and dedicate the new Joseph B. Oxendine Administrative Building.
The 41,000-square-foot building, formerly named West Hall, underwent a $14 million renovation and now houses the College of Arts and Sciences administration, Accessibility Resource Center, Teaching and Learning Center, Offices of Online Learning, Internal Audit, Title IX Clery and Compliance, and the Division of Information Technology.
"Dr. Oxendine passed in the early stages of the pandemic, and we were not able to celebrate his life as he so richly deserved. I told Adrienne and his family then, at the appropriate time, UNCP would honor Dr. Oxendine. Today, we fulfill that commitment for a man who gave so much to this university," said Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings.
"Dr. Joseph Bruce Oxendine was such an important figure in UNC Pembroke's story. I’m grateful for the opportunity to recognize Dr. Oxendine's memory and his lasting impact and ensure his legacy will continue to live on here on this campus," Cummings said.
The dedication ceremony was a fitting reminder of the influence Dr. Oxendine continues to have on UNCP, ensuring students would have the opportunity to have a successful life and career.
The ceremony included several speakers and an unveiling of the new signage and a portrait of Oxendine in the first-floor lobby.
"We are forever grateful for this honor in memory of my father," said Jean Plaschke. "It is particularly significant that you chose today, his birthday, to recognize this special man."
Oxendine, a Pembroke, NC., native and the great-grandson of John J. Oxendine, one of UNCP’s seven founders, served as the university's third chancellor from 1989 to 1999. During his tenure, the institution changed its name from Pembroke State University, adopted its first official athletic logo and introduced the red-tailed hawk mascot. Under Oxendine's leadership, several new degree programs were also added, including an RN-BSN nursing program and an MBA program.
Oxendine's family and colleagues, including interim Provost Zoe Locklear, shared how they benefited greatly from his guidance and mentorship.
"From the time of his appointment in 1989, Dr. Oxendine was willing to support me on my journey to serve this university," Locklear said. "For a young aspiring professional, I could not have been more fortunate to have the opportunity to learn under his tutelage.
Oxendine's nephew, Bucky Oxendine, drove from his home in Virginia, and Susan Oxendine Valentine, a niece, traveled from Los Angeles to attend the dedication.
"Uncle Joe had a big impact on my life as well as all his nephews. He was a distinguished individual, but he could relate to people of all levels. For a man of his accomplishments, this was such a tremendous tribute to him."
"It was such a beautiful ceremony," Valentine added. "It means so much to us that the university is demonstrating his legacy on a visual basis and on a building that will be here for years to nourish future administrators and chancellors of this university and chancellors build on everything he started."
