"Good afternoon, everyone!

I'm delighted to join you on this happy day for Kent State University and its School of Journalism and Mass Communication -- 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 -- one that will stand among Kent State's most technologically advanced buildings and, in doing so, will rival any similar facility on any campus anywhere.

There is more to celebrate. The renovation of Franklin Hall is the last phase of the massive project to renovate all of Kent State's oldest buildings; to restore our historic front campus to its former splendor in time for the university's centennial in 2010.

Speaking of history, let me start by commending everyone involved in producing the informative and inspiring trip through JMC history we just took. And special thanks to Jack Marschall for lending his talent -- and a voice that is familiar to most Northeast Ohioans -- to this valuable effort. Of course, his is one of many success stories that are part of the School's proud history, and that have led us to this day.

As you know, several highly successful JMC alumni have helped ensure that the School's outstanding programs will finally share a single, high-tech home -- one that builds on the aforementioned reputation for preparing students who hit the ground running upon graduation; one that fosters an unprecedented degree of synergy among students working in print, broadcast and online media; and one that mirrors the media convergence and collaboration that are taking place nationally and becoming a way of professional life.

One of these accomplished alumni is Brooke Spectorsky. Brooke is president and general manager of Cleveland's WKYC-TV, which is part of the Gannett media family. He also is an active member of the JMC Advisory Board and was instrumental in the creation of a unique course in advanced news production. The course provides students with access to WKYC's digital broadcast center and to the expertise and experience of station news managers. At Brooke's urging, this collaborative class was funded by the Gannett Foundation.

Today, we have reason to be even more grateful to Brooke Spectorsky and to the Gannett Foundation. The Foundation has made a commitment to providing $200,000 for the construction of the Gannett Collaborative Classroom within Franklin Hall -- a facility in which teams of student producers, reporters, editors, photographers, videographers and designers can join journalistic forces on multimedia projects for multiple audiences -- the kind of work they will be expected to produce as media professionals.

I'm sorry to report that Brooke -- the guiding force behind this exciting component of the Franklin project along with faculty members Ann and Carl Schierhorn -- could not be here. But we're delighted that Alina Martinet, WKYC's director of Community Relations, and Rex Rickley, WKYC's vice president of engineering, are here to represent him, the station and the Gannett Foundation. In fact, I understand that Ms. Martinet has not come empty-handed! Alina, I invite you to join me to make your presentation.

Thank you, Alina! Please extend our deep appreciation to Brooke, to everyone at WKYC and to the Gannett Foundation board.
This afternoon, we have the additional pleasure of welcoming another distinguished JMC graduate, another JMC Advisory Board member and another community leader who is committed -- in word and deed -- to helping future generations of Kent State students succeed. I refer to Tom Welsh, senior vice president of External Affairs for FirstEnergy Corporation. Tom, I'll ask you to join me in just a moment -- a moment in which I want to recognize your abiding support of your alma mater.

Tom Welsh was nothing less than instrumental in Kent State's receipt of the lead donation to the project. As most of you know, that gift takes the form of $500,000 from the FirstEnergy Foundation -- an amount that has been matched by an anonymous donor. These gifts allow our plans for Franklin Hall to include a remarkable centerpiece: the FirstEnergy Interactive Auditorium.

The auditorium will be a showplace for student instruction and for the many JMC presentations that are open to the public. With 150 seats and an array of high-tech tools, it will be a place where faculty and students share Web sites, text messages, images,

news broadcasts and other media via networked computers and three projection screens. Put another way: I suspect that when faculty members stand before their first classes in the FirstEnergy Auditorium, they may be tempted to see if the name "Jetson" appears on their class roster!

More than 80 faculty, staff, administrators and guests attended the Franklin Hall groundbreaking ceremony in Rockwell Hall. Photo by Jeff Glidden

As I mentioned, this magnificent facility is possible through the generosity of the FirstEnergy Foundation. I'm therefore delighted that MaryBeth Carroll -- foundation president and strong advocate for the educational experiences that the auditorium will make possible -- could join our celebration. Marybeth, please stand. On behalf of the entire Kent State community, I thank you and the FirstEnergy Foundation for a gift that will enhance the school's instructional capacity so significantly.

Now I'd like to ask our good friend Tom Welsh to say a few words on this day that promises so much and means so much.

Thank you, Tom. Right now, it's time to make it official! Although this is a ground breaking, the key role of FirstEnergy in Franklin Hall's future made it more fitting to use electricity instead of elbow grease! As it turns out, our Architect's Office had an equally fitting prop: an original street lamp from the hilltop crescent on which Franklin Hall -- which, by the way, is named after Franklin Mills, the former name of the city of Kent -- has been situated for nearly 80 years.
I'd like to ask Alina Martinet and Jeff Fruit to join us as we symbolically light the way to a very exciting future for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Tom, would you do the honors?

In closing, I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this footnote-worthy event possible. I'd especially like to acknowledge the able and enthusiastic leadership of Dean Jim Gaudino and Director Jeff Fruit; the strong support of an active and effective JMC Advisory Board; and the countless contributions of JMC faculty members past and present -- contributions to the renovation plans, and to a level of excellence and innovation that has kept this school on the map no matter where it's been located.

Finally, I thank you for coming and look forward to a reunion in 2007, when Franklin re-opens for business after its multimedia metamorphosis!"

Read story on virtual groundbreaking

Watch the Franklin Hall Documentary

Visit the new Franklin Hall web site

Read more about the renovated Franklin Hall and its history

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