KSU receives $5 million gift

Staff report

Kent

Kent State University President Lester A. Lefton announced a $5 million gift from John and Fonda Elliot through the family’s foundation that will create the “Elliot Studios for Design” at the new building planned for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State. The gift also will fund endowments for The Elliot Program for Healthcare Design, The Elliot Scholars and The Elliot Professorship in Healthcare Design.

“Fonda and I are honored to be able to give back to the university that gave us the opportunity and the tools to help build our pathway to today,” John Elliot said. “If it was not for Kent State and the school of architecture, I would not have had the foundation to develop my architectural practice and a health-care company that employs more than 1,000 dedicated health-care professionals. We would encourage other Kent State graduates to participate and foster the vision that Kent State has for the future.”

The Elliot Scholars gift will fund 10 scholarships for full-time architecture students in any graduate degree program of Kent State’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design. Awards will be designated for both Kent State domestic scholarships and Kent State global study opportunities.

The Elliot Professorship in Healthcare Design will be used to provide competitive compensation and research support for especially promising faculty members holding the rank of assistant professor, associate professor or professor in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State.

The Elliot Program for Healthcare Design will support a new program in Healthcare Design. Kent State’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design currently has a Certificate in Healthcare Facilities and soon will be offering a master’s degree in Healthcare Design.

As the largest single gift ever made to the college, it will have a very real impact.

Gene Finn, Kent State’s vice president of institutional advancement, is grateful for the generous support the Elliot family has shown to the university.