Editors: Photos of Robert and Peggy McGreevey Walter are available at: www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/WALTER_BOB.JPG and www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/WALTER_PEGGY.JPG. An architect's conceptual rendering of the facility is available at www.ohiou.edu/news/pix/LECTURE_HALL.JPG.
Contact: Jack Jeffery, (740) 597-1793
ATHENS, Ohio (November 8, 2000) -- A $5 million donation to Ohio University by Robert Walter, chairman and CEO of Cardinal Health Inc., and his wife, Peggy McGreevey Walter, will help fund a state-of-the-art science lecture hall and "smart" classroom facility at the couple's alma mater.
The $10 million facility will allow the integration of the latest technologies in the educational process. The lecture halls and classrooms will include 800 student stations and be equipped with the latest technological and support systems, allowing students and faculty to more closely interact and share information.
"The Walters' generosity will have a substantial and positive impact on future Ohio University students," Ohio University President Robert Glidden said. "The facility will keep Ohio University in the forefront as a leader in the use of technology in instruction. It combines the university's traditional strength of excellent classroom instruction with the institution's forward-thinking approach to the educational process."
The Walters both graduated from Ohio University in 1967, Robert Walter with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering and Peggy Walter with a bachelor of fine arts degree. Robert Walter, a member of the Ohio University Board of Trustees, went on to earn an MBA from Harvard University in 1970.
Since founding Cardinal Health Inc. as a food wholesaler in 1971, Robert Walter has steered its rise to a Fortune 60 company and leading provider of products and services supporting the health care industry. The company has annual revenues approaching $30 billion and some 43,000 employees worldwide.
The Walters have been generous benefactors of the university, establishing the Robert D. and Margaret M. Walter Endowed Scholarship for students in the Russ College of Engineering and Technology in 1991. The scholarship has benefited 52 students since its inception.
"Ohio University is important to me for a number of reasons," said Robert Walter, who as a student benefited from scholarships endowed by university benefactors. "I'm a big believer in education and a big believer in endowments to provide opportunities for students who can't afford college."
The Walters' support extends beyond financial contributions to the sharing of experiences with students. Robert Walter regularly returns to campus to talk with engineering and business students.
"I'm very impressed with the quality of Ohio University students," he said. "They're very serious and eager to learn. It is a school full of people with what I call solid Midwestern values."
The 40,000-square-foot facility the Walters are helping to finance will include five 150- to 200-seat lecture rooms. In addition to classes, seminars and meetings, the building will provide facilities for the Ohio University Board of Trustees and university senates. A consultant for the project has been selected, and construction is expected to begin in late 2001 or early 2002 and be complete by the spring of 2004.
The building's brick and stone exterior will complement the traditional architecture of other campus structures. It will be located at the corner of Richland Avenue and South Green Drive, providing an impressive landmark for the south entrance to campus and offering easy access for the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Health and Human Services, Osteopathic Medicine and Engineering and Technology.
The facility's five lecture rooms, at least two of which will be specially designed for science instruction, will accommodate 800 students collectively. The smart classrooms will be equipped with the latest technological and support systems. Typically, a smart classroom includes ports for laptops, wireless connectivity and a smart lectern through which faculty can direct various data sources for retrieval, projection or interaction and/or control student laptops/desktops. Other technologies might include video and audio conferencing capacity and desktop stereo systems.
"The Walters have been strong contributors to the educational experiences of Ohio University students in a number of ways because they regularly go the extra mile in support of today's young people," said Vice President for University Advancement Leonard Raley. "This is the type of legacy that sets Ohio University apart and makes it such a unique institution."
The timing of the Walters' gift is significant since it follows last month's announcement of a $5 million gift commitment to Ohio University Libraries by Vernon Alden, who was Ohio University president while the Walters were students. Alden was a mentor to Robert Walter and supported his application to graduate school.
Robert Walter serves on the boards of directors of Bank One Corp., Infinity Broadcasting Corp. and Viacom Inc. and on the board of trustees of Battelle Memorial Institute. He also is involved in various Columbus-area civic and charitable organizations. He received an honorary degree from the university in 1997.
Peggy Walter is a board member of the Columbus Museum of Art, is on its women's board and is involved in the Childhood League and the Young Presidents Organization's Spouses Forum.
The Walters' contribution is being made in conjunction with the university's Bicentennial Campaign, details of which will be announced Saturday, Nov. 11.
The Bicentennial Campaign -- targeted for completion in 2004, the university's 200th anniversary -- will provide money for scholarships, endowed chairs, named professorships, technological advancements, innovative programs and capital improvements.
