Judging by all the construction on the University of Tampa campus recently, there are many changes underway. However, the most recent change is on the south side of campus.
Specifically on North Brevard Avenue where the Kennedy Building has been renamed. Now to be known as the MacKechnie Building, it will still have the same purpose, being home to classrooms, offices and the university’s ELS center.
“ELS offers English as a Second Language services to international students who, except for English skills, fulfill all requirements for admission to UT,” according to the UT website, where the name of the building has already been changed. Renovations actually began in 2010 but the building was finished and officially renamed on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012.
An email sent out to the student body and faculty of UT explains that, “the renaming is in recognition of the MacKechnies’ long time involvement in and support of UT.” Ian MacKechnie’s name can be found on the Board of Trustees, where he has sat for several years, as well as with his wife’s name, Jean, on the side of the new building. The gift for the MacKechnie building was given in both of their names. Their son, Fraser MacKechnie, is also involved in the university as a part of the Board of Fellows. There are not any UT alumni in the family, which is one reason this gift is so appreciated.
According to Daniel Gura, the Vice President of Development and University Relations, the university received between three-thousand and four-thousand financial gifts during the 2010-2011 year. These gifts can range anywhere between a few dollars and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The majority of gifts are donated by alumni and are rarely given for a specific project as this one was. The amount donated by the MacKechnie family was not given, however, Gura also explained “the level of the gift is what earned them the gift of having the building bear their name.” He also stated “existing buildings, that are not named (but need renovation), or buildings that have not been built, require a certain level of financial commitment.” The university makes the donor aware of price range based on the project and the donor may choose to donate some or part of that number or an amount for immediate use, but there is a specific amount for each project that would earn a dedicated building.
Most facilities named for location, such as Brevard Hall and Stadium Center, could be renamed as the Kennedy Building was.
The Kennedy Building faced Kennedy Boulevard, making the name convenient if not creative.
Other donations have provided sports facilities, such as the fields and the new Martinez Sports Center, scholarships and other miscellaneous parts of the campus, including benches and landscaping.
The renaming will leave the MacKechnie name on the University of Tampa campus for years to come.
Hopefully, as students enter the new building, the name may remind them to appreciate the gifts the university receives, that make it possible for those very students to attend college.
Becca Powell can be reached at rebecca.powell@spartans.ut.edu.