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"Good afternoon, everyone!
I'm delighted to join you on this happy day for Kent State University
and its School of Journalism and Mass Communication -- a day when
we formally launch the transformation of Franklin Hall from a once-stately
structure that has long shown the ravages of age into a state-of-the-art
center for multi-media education, research and outreach -- one that
will stand among Kent State's most technologically advanced buildings
and, in doing so, will rival any similar facility on any campus
anywhere.
There is more to celebrate. The renovation of Franklin Hall is
the last phase of the massive project to renovate all of Kent State's
oldest buildings; to restore our historic front campus to its former
splendor in time for the university's centennial in 2010.
Speaking of history, let me start by commending everyone involved
in producing the informative and inspiring trip through JMC history
we just took. And special thanks to Jack Marschall for lending his
talent -- and a voice that is familiar to most Northeast Ohioans
-- to this valuable effort. Of course, his is one of many success
stories that are part of the School's proud history, and that have
led us to this day.
As you know, several highly successful JMC alumni have helped ensure
that the School's outstanding programs will finally share a single,
high-tech home -- one that builds on the aforementioned reputation
for preparing students who hit the ground running upon graduation;
one that fosters an unprecedented degree of synergy among students
working in print, broadcast and online media; and one that mirrors
the media convergence and collaboration that are taking place nationally
and becoming a way of professional life.
One of these accomplished alumni is Brooke Spectorsky. Brooke is
president and general manager of Cleveland's WKYC-TV, which is part
of the Gannett media family. He also is an active member of the
JMC Advisory Board and was instrumental in the creation of a unique
course in advanced news production. The course provides students
with access to WKYC's digital broadcast center and to the expertise
and experience of station news managers. At Brooke's urging, this
collaborative class was funded by the Gannett Foundation.
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Today, we have reason to be even more grateful to Brooke Spectorsky
and to the Gannett Foundation. The Foundation has made a commitment
to providing $200,000 for the construction of the Gannett Collaborative
Classroom within Franklin Hall -- a facility in which teams of student
producers, reporters, editors, photographers, videographers and
designers can join journalistic forces on multimedia projects for
multiple audiences -- the kind of work they will be expected to
produce as media professionals.
I'm sorry to report that Brooke -- the guiding force behind this
exciting component of the Franklin project along with faculty members
Ann and Carl Schierhorn -- could not be here. But we're delighted
that Alina Martinet, WKYC's director of Community Relations, and
Rex Rickley, WKYC's vice president of engineering, are here to represent
him, the station and the Gannett Foundation. In fact, I understand
that Ms. Martinet has not come empty-handed! Alina, I invite you
to join me to make your presentation.
Thank you, Alina! Please extend our deep appreciation to Brooke,
to everyone at WKYC and to the Gannett Foundation board.
This afternoon, we have the additional pleasure of welcoming another
distinguished JMC graduate, another JMC Advisory Board member and
another community leader who is committed -- in word and deed --
to helping future generations of Kent State students succeed. I
refer to Tom Welsh, senior vice president of External Affairs for
FirstEnergy Corporation. Tom, I'll ask you to join me in just a
moment -- a moment in which I want to recognize your abiding support
of your alma mater.
Tom Welsh was nothing less than instrumental in Kent State's receipt
of the lead donation to the project. As most of you know, that gift
takes the form of $500,000 from the FirstEnergy
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news broadcasts and other media via networked computers and three
projection screens. Put another way: I suspect that when faculty
members stand before their first classes in the FirstEnergy Auditorium,
they may be tempted to see if the name "Jetson" appears
on their class roster!
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More
than 80 faculty, staff, administrators and guests attended the
Franklin Hall groundbreaking ceremony in Rockwell Hall. Photo
by Jeff Glidden |
Foundation -- an amount that has been matched by an anonymous donor.
These gifts allow our plans for Franklin Hall to include a remarkable
centerpiece: the FirstEnergy Interactive Auditorium.
The auditorium will be a showplace for student instruction and
for the many JMC presentations that are open to the public. With
150 seats and an array of high-tech tools, it will be a place where
faculty and students share Web sites, text messages, images,
As I mentioned, this magnificent facility is possible through the
generosity of the FirstEnergy Foundation. I'm therefore delighted
that MaryBeth Carroll -- foundation president and strong advocate
for the educational experiences that the auditorium will make possible
-- could join our celebration. Marybeth, please stand. On behalf
of the entire Kent State community, I thank you and the FirstEnergy
Foundation for a gift that will enhance the school's instructional
capacity so significantly.
Now I'd like to ask our good friend Tom Welsh to say a few words
on this day that promises so much and means so much.
Thank you, Tom. Right now, it's time to make it official! Although
this is a ground breaking, the key role of FirstEnergy in Franklin
Hall's future made it more fitting to use electricity instead of
elbow grease! As it turns out, our Architect's Office had an equally
fitting prop: an original street lamp from the hilltop crescent
on which Franklin Hall -- which, by the way, is named after Franklin
Mills, the former name of the city of Kent -- has been situated
for nearly 80 years.
I'd like to ask Alina Martinet and Jeff Fruit to join us as we symbolically
light the way to a very exciting future for the School of Journalism
and Mass Communication. Tom, would you do the honors?
In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this footnote-worthy
event possible. I'd especially like to acknowledge the able and
enthusiastic leadership of Dean Jim Gaudino and Director Jeff Fruit;
the strong support of an active and effective JMC Advisory Board;
and the countless contributions of JMC faculty members past and
present -- contributions to the renovation plans, and to a level
of excellence and innovation that has kept this school on the map
no matter where it's been located.
Finally, I thank you for coming and look forward to a reunion in
2007, when Franklin re-opens for business after its multimedia metamorphosis!"
Read story
on virtual groundbreaking
Watch
the Franklin Hall Documentary
Visit
the new Franklin Hall web site
Read
more about the renovated Franklin Hall and its history
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