When Ball State's new residence hall opens in the fall of 2007, its name will reflect a family's 87-year affiliation with the university marked by the enrollment of five generations of students and the administrative leadership of Don Park, which resulted in growth for the university's educational offerings and physical environment.

The Ball State University Board of Trustees approved changing the name of the East Residence Hall, currently under construction, to Park Hall, recognizing the significant contributions made to the university by Don Park, who will become vice president for university advancement emeritus upon his retirement July 1, and the five generations of Park's family who have earned or are seeking degrees from Ball State.

"This is a great honor for me and my family, my brother and sisters, and my nieces and nephews," Park said. "It has been great for me to be part of Ball State, and I look forward to being part of it in the future.

"On behalf of the entire Park family, I can't thank you enough for this honor."

The naming is appropriate because a member of the Park family has been enrolled at Ball State in nearly every decade of the university's existence and because of Don Park's dedication to the university on several levels, said Ball State President Jo Ann M. Gora.

"Don rose through the ranks of the Teachers College faculty, beginning in 1966 as an assistant professor of education administration and becoming a full professor in 1974," she said. "He then sought another way to contribute to the greater public good by serving as an Indiana state senator for a four-year term that began in 1974.

"But Don's love of education, perhaps instilled in him by his father, gained fullest expression during his 14-year tenure as vice president for university advancement during which the university completed four major fundraising campaigns, three Lilly Endowment Challenge Grants, and expanded development, alumni and marketing programs that enhanced opportunities for Ball State students, faculty, staff and alumni."

Park earned a bachelor's degree in 1961 from Ball State. He attended the commencement ceremony with his mother, Irene, who also earned a bachelor's degree that year. He received a master's degree from Ball State in 1963, the same year he married his wife, Claire Swick, who received her bachelor's degree that year and a master's degree in 1969. He has also received three alumni honors from the university, including its Distinguished Alumni award.

During the 1918-19 academic year, his uncle Frank Park served as junior class president, the first in the history of the Eastern Division of the Indiana State Normal School. Frank Park earned a certificate of completion in 1920 as a member of the second graduating class of the Eastern Division, which became Ball Teachers College in 1922.

Frank Park's nephew Fred, Don's father, graduated in 1929 from the newly named Ball State Teachers College and went on to a career as an educator.

Don Park and his siblings marked the third generation of the family to attend Ball State, earning a total of seven degrees, including Marilyn Pickell-Hunt, '53, MA '63; Norma Armstrong, '55, MA '60; and David Park, '55.

The 1970s ushered in the family's fourth generation of Ball State students with Robert Pickell Jr., '78; Robert's wife, Christine, '78; Randy Pickell, '79; Karen Karwoski, '81; Leslie Pickell, '83; Kristen Trella, '90; Jennifer Novak, MAE '01; and Lindsay Swick, '05, earning degrees.

Current Ball State students Ben Karwoski and Ryan Pickell constitute the fifth generation of the Park family to pursue higher education at Ball State.  

The trustees also approved a citation recognizing the career of Tom Spangler, associate vice president for business affairs and assistant treasurer, who is retiring from the university June 30. Spangler has served in the office of business affairs for 35 years.

In other news, the trustees:

• reviewed the university's capital appropriations request for the 2007-09 biennium and its plans for renovation and rehabilitation projects. The main priority of the capital request is $30 million to renovate three buildings in the center of campus: Teachers College, Applied Technology and North Quad. Each building requires unique improvements, but the consolidation into one project will permit greater efficiency and cost savings.
• reviewed a presentation on the latest plans for the expansion and renovation of Scheumann Stadium, which is scheduled for completion in time for kickoff of Ball State's 2007 football season.
• changed the name of the Department of Industry and Technology to the Department of Technology.

(Note to Editors: For more information on this story, contact Glenn Augustine, associate director of university communications, at (765) 285-1560 or ggaugustine@bsu.edu. A downloadable, print-quality photograph of Park can be found at www.bsu.edu/photoservices under "People.")