More than 400 people will gather at 6 p.m. tomorrow in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to launch Kent State’s $250 million fundraising campaign and celebrate its centennial.

The rec center will close to the public at noon.

This is the university’s largest fundraising campaign ever.

President Lester Lefton will speak. Other speakers include Ron Pizzuti, Centennial Campaign chair and chairman and CEO of The Pizzuti Companies, and Barry Fetterman, president of Kent State University Foundation Board of Directors.

TODAY through Friday, the following rec center locations will be closed for the Centennial Celebration: Studio 1 (where most Group-X classes are held) &bull Studio 2 (where instructional classes like ballet are held) &bull Sports arena (where the basketball courts are) &bull Multi-purpose gym (near the climbing wall) &bull Combative studio (where spinning classes are held) &bull Track &bull Summit Street Café &bull Lobby (limited access throughout the set-up and removal process for the event.) Check recservices.kent.edu for more information about class modifications or cancellations.

“In addition to the speeches, there will be a historical video on the university and a performance by more than 110 students,” said Emily Vincent, director of University Media Relations. “It’s song, dance and spoken-word performances.”

The event is by invitation only and not open to the public.

Lefton said the Centennial Celebration won’t be a big blowout because of the economy, but he said it will be a very nice event.

“There are going to be 425 people coming together to take a look back at history and look forward to the future and to kick off a major fundraising campaign,” Lefton said. “A very big piece of it will be to raise scholarships for the institution.”

Allison Smith