The Kent State Board of Trustees approved the naming of seven university spaces during Tuesday’s meeting. The names were presented by trustee Virginia Addicott.

The first name change will be in the Design Innovation Hub. 

• The naming of the Burton D. Morgan Foundation Enterprise Suite was announced. It was previously known as the Kent State’s LaunchNET offices, the Marty Erbaugh (I3) Lab and surrounding spaces in the Design Innovation Hub. The foundation has given $1,082,150 in support of LaunchNET Kent State and entrepreneurship activities at the university during the past five years. An additional $500,000 in support for future ventures will be funded, the press release stated.

The next four places to be named are in athletic facilities. 

• With gifts of $250,000, the softball diamond near DIX Stadium will be renamed to Judith K. Devine Diamond. “Devine served in multiple coaching and administrative roles within the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, including as the first female head coach of the women’s basketball team,” the press release stated. 
• The naming of the David and Sherry Joy Lobby in the Kent State Field House was announced. The Joys provided $100,000 in gifts and are active members of Kent State Athletics.
• The naming of the Laing and Saundra Kennedy trophy room within the Memorial Athletic and Convocation Center was also announced. While the Kennedys gifted $100,000, Laing Kennedy served as Kent State’s director of athletics from 1994 to 2010, the press release stated. 
• Jenkins Student-Athlete Academics lobby in the MACC Annex was renamed to the Dr. James Karge Olsen lobby. Jenkins gave $100,000. It also honors James Karge Olsen, J.D., who taught constitutional law and jurisprudence courses at Kent State. He also made a large impact in the career of Jenkins, the press release stated. 

The last two places are in Crawford Hall. 

• The naming of the Don and Paula Brown Deans’ Suit Reception Area within the office of the dean was announced. While the Brown’s gave $100,000, Don received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kent State in 1977, the press release stated. Don is now on the National Advisory Board of the Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship, the press release stated. 
• The naming of the Christopher and Stephanie Marinac Team Area is a collaborative space. While the Marinacs gave $100,000, both graduated in 1991 with bachelor degrees in finance from Kent State. 

Besides the name changes, two trustees were given Resolutions of Appreciation as their terms are coming to an end. 

The meeting ended with the Board recognizing two trustee members. 

Dylan Mace received a Resolution of Appreciation for serving as the Undergraduate Student Trustee since July 27, 2020. Mace will be graduating in May 2022 with his bachelor’s degree in finance, with a minor in data analytics and computer science, Addicott said. 

Mace served as president of the Kent State interfraternity council, president of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, an officer of the Kent State Financial Management Association and a member of the business professionals roundtable, Addicott said. 

“I’ve been honored to serve as the undergraduate student trustee for the place that I’ve got to call home for the past four years,” Mace said. “This is an opportunity that I got and most people don’t get so early in their career.” 

Trustee Addicott received a Resolution of Appreciation and as a Trustee Emeritus of Kent State. Addicott is a two time graduate of Kent State who was appointed in Aug. 21, 2013. She since then has been the board’s vice chair, secretary, chair of three committees and board representative to the Kent State University Foundation Board of Directors, the press release stated. 

Addicott helped with the successful public launch of the Forever Brighter comprehensive campaign that raised more than $320 million toward its $350 million goal, said Sandra Volpe, a national trustee.

“I want to say ‘I can’t believe it’s over,’ but nine years is kind of a long time,” Addicott said. 

Although Addicott is leaving the Board of Trustees, she said she will continue to be on the Foundation Board of Directors. 

Alexandra Golden is an assigning editor. Contact her at [email protected].