11-04-94 Trustees Name Architecture School for Knowlton TRUSTEES NAME ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL AFTER AUSTIN E. KNOWLTON COLUMBUS -- The Ohio State University Board of Trustees voted Friday (11/4) to rename the School of Architecture in honor of Austin E. Knowlton in honor of his accomplishments and in recognition of his $10 million gift to the school. The name applies to both the school, which will be called the "Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture," and the new building that will be constructed to house the school. A site for the new building has not been determined. Knowlton's gift, which was announced last month, is believed to be the largest ever to a school of architecture in the United States. Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee hailed Knowlton's long- time support of the university as "a cornerstone of higher education in Ohio and the nation." "This gift is truly a milestone in the history of The Ohio State University," Gee said. "It will greatly enhance our ability to provide the finest architectural education possible." The gift will be used to match a similar contribution from the state for construction of a new architecture facility at Ohio State. Stanley Aronoff, president of the Ohio Senate, praised Knowlton's commitment to higher education in Ohio. "Ohio State, our flagship university, deserves a world class school of architecture and now has the opportunity to have one," Aronoff said. "Our thanks to Dutch Knowlton for recognizing this need and making this a reality." John W. Kessler, chair of the university's Board of Trustees, described Knowlton's gift as "fabulous," adding that it "will put the School of Architecture on the map nationally." These sentiments were echoed by Jerrold Voss, director of the School of Architecture, who said that Knowlton's gift will allow the school to "rise to a new level of excellence." "This gift shows how a committed and enlightened individual can help shape the course of the 14th oldest school of architecture in the nation for the betterment of the campus, our community, and the design professions," Voss said. "The gift truly will make an enormous difference as Mr. Knowlton's vision of the future and his deep and abiding tie to the School of Architecture will help us achieve our high aspirations." Knowlton, a resident of Delaware, Ohio, received a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering degree from Ohio State in 1931. He is owner and chief executive officer of the Knowlton Construction Co. He is chairman of the Cincinnati Bengals football team and trustee of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation. He was instrumental in the creation of Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati and in numerous other projects in Ohio and the nation. Knowlton has supported other activities at Ohio State, including the hospitals and athletics. He recently received The Ohio State University Alumni Association's Professional Achievement Award. The School of Architecture offers the degrees of Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Architecture, Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, Master of Landscape Architecture, Master of City and Regional Planning and Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning. The school employs about 40 faculty members and, as of autumn 1994, enrolls 337 undergraduate students and 223 graduate students. The first architecture courses were taught at Ohio State in 1898 and the first degree in architecture was awarded in 1903. # Contact: Jerrold Voss, director, Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture, (614) 292-6806; Dave Ferguson, director, development communications, (614) 292-8646. [Submitted by: REIDV (reidv@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu) Fri, 04 Nov 1994 16:12:24 -0500 (EST)] All documents are the responsibility of their originator.