Lincoln University is cementing ties to billionaire businessman and philanthropist David Lloyd Steward by naming a campus gallery after his late mother.
The Lincoln Board of Curators voted to rename the art gallery on the top floor of Richardson Auditorium after Dorothy Steward earlier this month and has scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony for Nov. 1.
Dorothy Steward died in 2020 at the age of 92. Before her death, her son approached Lincoln about documenting her life growing up in segregated Clinton, Missouri.
"It was during that conversation that Mrs. Steward informed the university that had she gone to college, she wanted to go to school at Lincoln," University President John Moseley said. "So we deemed it appropriate to name this space after her because her interest was the arts."
Moseley said he's thankful for the Steward family's commitment to Lincoln and he looks forward to continuing that relationship.
David Steward is the founder and chairman of St. Louis-based IT provider World Wide Technology and has a net worth of $6 billion, according to Forbes. He was one of 13 Black billionaires worldwide in 2019.
He's donated about $250,000 to Lincoln during the past few years, Moseley said. In 2015, the historically Black university granted him an honorary doctor of science degree.
"Mr. Steward and his family, through the Steward Foundation, have been significant supporters throughout the state of Missouri," he said.
Moseley said he has no reservations about naming a part of campus after someone who wasn't formally connected to the university.
"For us, it captures the spirit of Lincoln and the impact that Lincoln had on the state pre-dating all of us," he said, "the fact that at one point Lincoln University was the only educational opportunity for Black Americans here in the state of Missouri."
Outside of Lincoln, Dorothy Steward's name is preserved through the University of Missouri-St. Louis Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz and a music practice room at the University of Central Missouri.
The Board of Curators on Wednesday approved two other name changes around campus.
Founders Hall was renamed after the university's 14th president James Frank -- the first school alumnus to become a president and first Black president of the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) -- and a School of Education hallway in MLK Hall was named in honor of Marilyn Minor, a 1969 graduate with a degree in elementary education.
Preserving names through campus buildings is usually based on significant accomplishments or contributions to the university, Board President Victor Pasley said.
In addition to serving as university president, Frank gave approximately $300,000 to Lincoln before his death in 2019, Pasley said.
"He's an incredible individual and so to have his name on one of our premier buildings on the Quad where everybody can walk by and see it every single day is important to us," he said. "That's the kind of honor he's brought to this university, and we need to return that favor to him and his family so we can see that for the rest of their lives."
The board has discussed naming opportunities as a way to drive fundraising for the university in the past. Pasley said that's certainly an opportunity with some of the campus developments in progress.
Lincoln is working on fundraising to build a $40 million Health Sciences and Crisis Center near Elliff Hall. It got a $20 million appropriation from the state, and the city and county have kicked in some COVID-19 relief funds.
If someone were to give $8 million to $10 million for the project, Pasley said, "we're going to put their name on that building."
Kevin Wilson, vice president of advancement, athletics and campus recreation, has consistently reported to the board in recent months that giving is growing.
Pasley said its "impressive and heartwarming" to see the level of support Lincoln has.
In other action, the Board on Wednesday unanimously approved designating $17 million for the renovation of Dawson Hall. The project can now move to bid, where the university can expect to receive more concrete estimates of the final cost from construction contractors.