Robert's Chapel

Robert’s chapel is a beautiful centerpiece of the Waynesburg University campus. This building was part of the school’s transition from being a college to a university. Along with renovations to older buildings on campus the chapel was the only new building constructed by the Volpatt Construction group. The three-level chapel has a square footage of 20,400 square feet. Its massive scale proved to be a difficult challenge with the sheer scale as well as the severe grading required for the height of the chapel. The stairs in front of the chapel cover 30 feet of carefully grading land creating a building that soars above the rest of the campus.

Robert’s Chapel is truly a magnificent building, and therefore the dedication ceremony must have been just as grand. On September 24th, of 2011, the dedication ceremony was held within the chapel. After the year and four months construction period, 400 people gathered within the 800-seat chapel and listened to many performances and speeches. Performances by people such as J. Christopher Pardini, and David Allen Wehr could be heard on that day as well as a song performed by the university choir. The building was dedicated in memory by Sherl Levi Roberts and Sarah Bertha Earnest Roberts who died in 1972 and 48 respectively for their son Roy Roberts, an alumni of Waynesburg. Roy Roberts is honored for prior to his passing sharing his vision for the college with then President Timothy R. Thyreen and leaving a gift of 4.5 million.

Inside the lobby of the chapel, hangs another piece of Waynesburg alumni history. A large Japanese scroll is held in a frame with a plaque beside it telling about how the university acquired this piece. Dr. M. L Gordon was a graduate of Waynesburg who spent much of his life as a missionary in Kyoto, Japan. He and his wife established a kindergarten school in that area. At the dedication of said kindergarten, his wife asked for a scroll to be painted in Japanese with the scripture verse of Luke 18:16. The katamono hung in Japan until Dr. Gordon passed and his wife returned to the states and donated the scroll to the university where it hangs to this day.

Roberts Chapel is also home to the Marsh Center which is housed in its first floor. The Marsh Center is used as a classroom for large classes throughout the day ,and in the evenings is home to the different university music groups such as the Lamplighters Choir and Symphonic Band as well as smaller ensembles focusing on the different categories of instruments. Off to the side of the main room is the percussion studio which is used as a space for the percussion ensemble and individual lessons in instruments such as guitar. The chapel serves as a symbol of the university dedicated to former students and providing for the current and future students of the university. 

Edwards, Kaitlin. "University dedicates Roberts Chapel through ceremony, inaugural concert", Green County Messenger. October 7th 2011. Accessed March 28th 2021. https://www.heraldstandard.com/gcm/news/local_news/university-dedicates-roberts-chapel-through-ceremony-inaugural-concert/article_13c0d873-05c5-5dfe-936d-28a4d3c54de5.html.

Obituaries on Microfilm, "Cornerstone Genealogy". Accessed March 28th 2021. http://www.cornerstonegenealogy.com/.

Robert's Chapel, "Volpatt Construction". Accessed March 28th 2021. https://volpatt.com/project/roberts-chapel/.

"To the Glory of God". The Lamp. 19 - 21.

"Waynesburg University Expansion", "Master Builders Association of Western PA". July 1st 2014. Accessed March 28th 2021. https://www.vebh.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Waynesburg-article_july-aug-2014r.pdf.