McPherson is the only college in the U.S. offering a four-year degree in automotive restoration and the ’72 Ferrari will ultimately land in the classroom to be fully restored
McPherson, Kan.—McPherson College, located in McPherson, Kan., and recognized for its automotive restoration program, officially opened its new student center – the Campus Commons – with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
As part of the event, a rare 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona was lifted to the ceiling of the atrium, where it will serve as a centerpiece of the building. McPherson is the only college in the U.S. offering a four-year degree in automotive restoration.
The Daytona Ferrari, ranked by MotorTrend as the second greatest Ferrari of all-time, was donated in 2022 by California’s Dr. Richard Lundquist, a Giving Pledge philanthropist, real estate developer, car collector, and McPherson College Trustee. Lundquist and his wife, Melanie, have been longtime supporters of the college, having committed $50 million.
The Ferrari is one of the last models manufactured by Ferrari before the company founder and namesake, Enzo Ferrari, sold the company to Fiat. The two-seat grand tourer was designed by Pininfarina and built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti.
“I am honored that my Daytona will be the first car to hang from the ceiling of Campus Commons,” said Lundquist. “McPherson College and I have collectively owned this Ferrari Daytona for over 50 years. There is no greater home for this car than at McPherson College, and I am pleased that the students here can enjoy the car as much as I have. I also look forward to the day when my car is replaced by another, allowing McPherson students in the automotive restoration program the opportunity to meticulously restore the Ferrari.”
McPherson College graduates secure positions at some of the world’s top car collectors, museums, and restoration companies. Their students won second in class in the 2023 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with an entirely student-restored 1953 Mercedes-Benz 300S Cabriolet.
The new Campus Commons at McPherson College is part of a larger expansion effort by the college, which has seen campus size increase by 20% with nearly half of all existing buildings renovated since 2022. These renovations include all student dormitories, as well as athletic facilities, science labs, general education classrooms and computer labs.
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