$55 million gift to fund Marietta College housing, health sciences facility
An artist's rendering of what the new Freshman Quad will look like after renovations on the Marietta College campus. (Photo provided)
Construction on Freshman housing is expected to take place following a $55 million donation from Joe and Linda Chlapaty. An artists rendering shows how the complete rework will look. (Photo provided)
Architectural rendering of a new health sciences facility to be funded through a $55 million commitment by Joe and Linda Chlapaty to Marietta College. (Photo provided)
From left, Joe and Linda Chlapaty as seen on the Marietta College Mall Friday afternoon following the announcement of their $55 million donation to the college. (Photo provided)
An artist's rendering of what the new Freshman Quad will look like after renovations on the Marietta College campus. (Photo provided)
Construction on Freshman housing is expected to take place following a $55 million donation from Joe and Linda Chlapaty. An artists rendering shows how the complete rework will look. (Photo provided)
Architectural rendering of a new health sciences facility to be funded through a $55 million commitment by Joe and Linda Chlapaty to Marietta College. (Photo provided)
From left, Joe and Linda Chlapaty as seen on the Marietta College Mall Friday afternoon following the announcement of their $55 million donation to the college. (Photo provided)
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MARIETTA -- Marietta College plans to renovate three first-year residence halls, remove several campus buildings and open a graduate health sciences facility on Fourth Street with support from a $55 million gift commitment from Joe and Linda Chlapaty.
President Kathleen Poorman Dougherty announced the commitment Friday during her State of the College address, held during homecoming weekend. According to a college news release, it is the largest single gift in the institution's nearly 200-year history.
Marietta Hall has a scheduled opening in fall 2027, following renovations. The first-year housing complex is tentatively scheduled to open in the fall 2028 semester. The graduate health sciences building is expected to open in winter 2029. The college cautioned that the schedule could change as work progresses.
"This is one of those rare moments that changes what is possible for Marietta College," Dougherty said in the release. "Joe and Linda are investing not simply in buildings, but in generations of students who will live, learn and find their purpose here."
The housing work includes comprehensive renovations to Marietta Hall, completed in 1965, and Elsie Newton and Mary Beach halls, completed in 1957 and 1959, respectively.
According to the college's website, improvements will include air conditioning, pod-style restrooms and an outdoor gathering space for residents and student activities.
The college plans to demolish both Sophia Russell Hall because it sits in a flood plain, and Dorothy Webster Hall because its age and condition make it "beyond reasonable repair". According to the website, Russell Hall remains available for student housing in fall 2027.
The Fourth Street health sciences facility will require removing Pioneer House, Hopewell House and Barbara Diggs Lyles House. College officials plan to work with Alpha Sigma Phi members to arrange housing in an existing residence hall before demolishing Hopewell House.
The new academic building will include classrooms, laboratories, simulation spaces and areas for students and faculty to collaborate. The college said it will support its existing physician assistant program and planned graduate programs in nurse anesthesia and occupational therapy.
The college said those programs are intended to help address health care workforce needs in southeastern Ohio and Appalachia. Students will continue gaining clinical experience through regional health care partners while completing simulations and other training on campus.
Construction along Fourth Street is expected to last 18 to 24 months. The college said it will update campus and downtown neighbors and work with the construction company to limit noise and disruptions to parking and pedestrian routes.
The college also pledged to establish a new tribute to Barbara Diggs Lyles, its first Black woman graduate, whose namesake house will be removed. Lyles graduated in 1951 with a biology degree and later earned advanced degrees at Howard University and the University of Maryland.
The college will develop the tribute with her family, alumni, and college leadership, according to the website. Student programming housed in the Barbara Diggs Lyles House will move to Andrews Hall.
The college said it also plans to preserve historical materials from buildings being removed and is exploring opportunities for alumni to purchase bricks or other keepsakes.
Joe Chlapaty is a college trustee who received an honorary degree in 2010. He and Linda are the parents of a 1997 Marietta graduate.
"Marietta College first became part of our family's story through our son's experience, but over the years, our connection to the College has grown into something much greater," he said in the release.
Friday's announcement also marked the public launch of The Campaign for Marietta College: More History to Make.
The five-year campaign seeks to raise $55 million, or $11 million annually. The college's website specifies that the campaign is separate from the Chlapatys' $55 million commitment and will not fund the building projects.
Instead, campaign proceeds will support academic innovation and access, student engagement and success, community partnerships and the college's financial future.
For more information and continued updates, check https://www.marietta.edu/campus-transformation.