Groundbreaking Advancements

Groundbreaking Advancements

Ohio Wesleyan Continues Reimagining U.S. Higher Education with New Donor-Endowed Centers for Faculty Excellence, First-Generation Student Success

DELAWARE, Ohio - Ohio Wesleyan University's latest groundbreaking involves both earth and intellect - construction of the fine arts-infused John F. Milligan Library and creation of two trailblazing academic centers to support faculty development and first-generation student success.

During a campuswide celebration Oct. 3, Ohio Wesleyan President Matt vandenBerg turned a ceremonial shovel of dirt and introduced donors to share news of $15 million in gifts and commitments to create the Smith Center for Faculty Excellence and the Palmer Center for First-Generation Student Success.

"These new centers will exist side-by-side in our leading-edge main library," said vandenBerg, Ed.D. "Ohio Wesleyan is pushing what's possible in U.S. higher education and creating bold new blueprints for faculty and student development. This prominent location underscores our belief that student achievement and faculty flourishing are inseparable."

Smith Center

Katherine Boles Smith, OWU Class of 1971, and her husband, Alton Smith, of Raleigh, North Carolina, have made a $10 million commitment to establish the new Smith Center for Faculty Excellence. The center will elevate the university's current Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, launched in 2024.

"Ohio Wesleyan professors equip our students well with the knowledge and skills to succeed professionally," said Katherine Smith, a life trustee of the university. "They teach students to think critically and to handle academic challenges thoughtfully and rigorously. ... We applaud the faculty's scholarship, dedication to teaching, and time they devote in and out of the classroom to teach and mentor our students."

The first projects to be tackled by the new Smith Center include how to mentor students in using generative artificial intelligence (AI). Over time, the center expects to produce white papers, create institutes, and even oversee an annual showcase of faculty members' work.

vandenBerg said the Smith Center represents "not only a philanthropic milestone but also a historic, distinction-defining investment in the power of faculty, the liberal arts, and Ohio Wesleyan's future."

"The Smith Center will become a world-class asset that few, if any, other liberal arts colleges offer - a comprehensive, mission-driven center that focuses on faculty by enhancing teaching, deepening faculty support, and securing student success," he said. "The Smith Center resets the standard."

Professor Kira Bailey, associate professor of Psychology and director of the Neuroscience Program, said "speechless" best describes her reaction to the news.

"It is unheard of to dedicate this amount of money to faculty development, and Kathy and Alton Smith's generosity and faith in this faculty is humbling," said Bailey, Ph.D. "My colleagues are brilliant, talented individuals - having the Smith Center for Faculty Excellence is going to elevate our efforts to provide life-changing learning for students."

Palmer Center

Thomas Palmer, OWU Class of 1969, and his wife, Susan Palmer, honorary Class of 2023, of Toledo, Ohio, have made a $5 million gift to establish the Palmer Center for First-Generation Student Success and to support the renovation of the Milligan Library, which will house the new center. The Palmer Center will expand the university's Bishop Elevate office and program, launched in 2023, to support students who are the first in their families to attend college.

"Susan and I are grateful for the opportunity to help OWU continue to make a positive and distinctive difference in the lives of OWU students," said Tom Palmer, a member of the OWU Board of Trustees. "In this instance, aiding, along with others, in supporting the evolving needs of OWU's growing population of first-generation students, enabling them not only to succeed academically but to thrive personally and professionally throughout their college journey and beyond."

The Palmers previously provided the philanthropic support necessary to endow the Palmer Global Scholars Program, which supports international experiences for students selected for the competitive program.

President vandenBerg said the Palmers' latest gift will "provide a visible, dedicated space that fosters a sense of belonging and ensures our first-generation students receive the support they need to persist and flourish."

"The Palmer Center will serve as a national model of what is possible when philanthropic vision meets institutional purpose," vandenBerg said. "The center is integral to OWU's higher education rebellion to radically expand student affordability, access, and success."

Thea Smekens, who will serve as the director of the new center, added: "I'm thrilled about the creation of the Palmer Center in the new John F. Milligan Library. For first-generation students, having a dedicated space on campus is a powerful affirmation that they belong here and that their success matters. Tom and Susan's gift will shape the first-gen experience at OWU for generations to come."

Milligan Library

During the Oct. 3 event, vandenBerg also formally kicked off the top-to-bottom renovation of its current main library to create the John F. Milligan Library, funded by $50 million in donor contributions, including a lead $20 million gift from John and Kathryn Bradford Milligan, both life trustees and members of the OWU Class of 1983.

When it opens in early 2027, the Milligan Library will transform the heart of the Ohio Wesleyan campus into a world-class immersive learning, collaboration, and creative arts hub. It will include community-building spaces, study areas, high-tech classrooms, art studios and galleries, and house OWU's Department of Fine Arts.

"And now the library will include the pioneering Smith Center for Faculty Excellence and the Palmer Center for First-Generation Student Success," vandenBerg said. "Today's event is groundbreaking in so many ways, continuing Ohio Wesleyan's laser focus on transforming higher education to meet students where they are and supporting them in their journey of self-discovery, civic engagement, and lifelong success."

Learn more about supporting Ohio Wesleyan and its mission at owu.edu/give.

Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.