Kent JMC

Kent JMC celebrated its "virtual groundbreaking" for Franklin Hall with a luncheon, documentary, and presentation ceremony.

With interior demolition scheduled to start in late summer and early fall, we're looking to move into the renovated 1926 building in time for Fall 2007 classes.

That move was kicked off when JMC alum Tom Welsh, senior vice president of external affairs for FirstEnergy Corp., turned on the switch to an old street lamp that had been removed years ago from Hilltop Drive on historic front campus.

More than 80 faculty, staff, friends and administrators attended the groundbreaking, starting with a lunch in the Atrium of Rockwell Hall. Jeff Fruit, director of the School, welcomed the audience.

After lunch, guests moved to the Rockwell Hall Auditorium to watch a documentary recounting the history of the School. Entitled "Where We've Been, Where We're Going," the documentary showed how the journalism and radio/television programs had grown over the years, finally merging in 1987, but suffering by existing in separate buildings.

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The documentary was co-produced by faculty members Fred Endres and Gary Hanson; written by Endres; edited by electronic production major, Mike Paquin; and narrated by JMC graduate Jack Marschall, with digital recording and editing by Ben Whaley.

After the documentary, KSU President Carol Cartwright spoke to the group. She called the groundbreaking "a day when we formally launch the transformation of Franklin Hall from a once-stately structure that has long shown the ravages of age into a state-of-the-art center for multi-media education, research, and outreach." Click here for full remarks by President Cartwright

ABOVE: Tom Welsh flips the switch on an old street lamp from front campus at the groundbreaking. Next to Welsh is Alina Martinet, representing WKYC and Gannett; Jeff Fruit, director of Kent JMC; and Carol Cartwright, KSU president. RIGHT: CCI Dean Jim Gaudino introduces the documentary. Photos by Jeff Glidden.

Franklin Hall's renovation and 20,000-foot addition will cost more than $20 million. Most will come from state funds, but about $4 million still will have to be raised from private donations.

As part of the groundbreaking ceremony, donors of about $1.2 million were honored.

Cartwright introduced Alina Martinet, director of Community Relations for WKYC-TV. Representing the Gannett Foundation and WKYC president and general manager, Martinet presented JMC with a check that will help create the Gannett Collaborative Classroom on the fourth floor of Franklin Hall.

Welsh then presented a check for $500,000, which was matched by an anonymous donor, to create the FirstEnergy Interactive Auditorium on the third floor. The 150-seat hall will be a wireless, multimedia facility with three large projection screens.

JMC Director Fruit called the virtual groundbreaking "a great success."

"We are extremely grateful to FirstEnergy and Gannett for their generous support," he said. "To make Franklin Hall the cutting-edge facility that we envision, we're going to need the help of our alumni, friends and the media."

Here are several links to related items:

Watch the Franklin Hall Documentary

Visit the Franklin Hall Update web site

Read President Cartwright's complete remarks

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