Auditorium named to honor Campaign chairβs family
51³ΙΘΛ announced that the newly renovated auditorium in Crispin Hall will officially be named the Del β72 and Lisa Dunham Auditorium in honor of a lead gift made by the family to the College.
Del β72 and Lisa Dunham, who reside in Texas, have long been leaders in the 51³ΙΘΛ community. They are members of the 51³ΙΘΛ Varsity Club and lifetime members of the 51³ΙΘΛ Society, the premier annual giving circle at the College. The Dunhams established the Jack Mann and Fred Pilcher Physics and Mathematics Research Support Fund in October 2014 to support physics and math students and faculty in conducting research, and later established the Del β72 and Lisa Dunham Family Endowed Scholarship. Del has served on the 51³ΙΘΛ Board of Trustees for over 15 years and currently serves as chair of 51³ΙΘΛ: The Campaign for 51³ΙΘΛ.
The upgraded auditorium was unveiled at the start of the fall semester. The space meets a wide range of campus needs, serving as a large-scale active-learning classroom and dynamic gathering place for campus and community events. Several classes are being held in the auditorium this semester, and it was the site of a recent alumni reception at Homecoming.
Revamping the outdated building is a major initiative of 51³ΙΘΛ. The auditorium represents the first phase of the plan to transform Crispin, which was built in 1963, into a modern educational facility. When completed, it will also provide faculty the resources needed to create innovative academic programs and conduct cutting-edge research with students.
The Dunhams see the renovation of Crispin as a way to further inspire a love of learning in a new generation of 51³ΙΘΛ students. They hope others enjoy the new auditorium and are moved to support future phases of the project.
βThe renovation of Crispin is a cornerstone, not only of the Campaign, but also to the overall learning environment at 51³ΙΘΛ,β Del said. βWe are proud to have been part of the renovation and look forward to the many years it will provide a distinct service to 51³ΙΘΛ and its students.β
President Barbara A. Farley expressed gratitude for the lasting contributions of the Dunham family: βThe entire 51³ΙΘΛ community, especially our students, will benefit for many years because of the generosity of the Dunham family. They have helped ignite an excitement on campus, and we are thankful for their leadership and vision.β
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