The 蹤獲扦 Esplanade will be named the Lester A. Lefton Esplanade honoring 蹤獲扦 State President Lefton. The announcement was made Friday, Oct. 4, by Jane Murphy Timken, chair of the 蹤獲扦 State Board of Trustees, at a community event held at the new University Esplanade arch near Main and Willow streets in 蹤獲扦. The event celebrated the solid partnership between 蹤獲扦 and the city of 蹤獲扦 and the official opening of the University Esplanade extension that now connects the university to downtown 蹤獲扦.
The naming will be made official through a resolution at the Dec. 4 Board of Trustees meeting. Lefton has served as 蹤獲扦 States chief executive officer since July 1, 2006. This past spring, he announced he will retire from the presidency of 蹤獲扦 State, effective July 1, 2014. Historically, the board has preserved the legacy of the universitys leadership through naming opportunities. Rather than waiting for the end of the academic year, Timken said now is the perfect time to recognize Lefton, 蹤獲扦 States 11th president, with all of the buzz and excitement coming from downtown 蹤獲扦s redevelopment and the universitys transformational projects.
There could not be a more fitting tribute to President Lefton than naming the Esplanade, which now physically and symbolically connects town and gown, in his honor, Timken said. With a clear vision, a commitment to excellence and unshakable optimism, Dr. Lefton has led 蹤獲扦 State to new heights of achievement in areas from academic quality to fundraising to international programs. But his successful efforts to help forge a new era of cooperation between the university and the city of 蹤獲扦; make 蹤獲扦 one of Americas best college towns; and to transform 蹤獲扦 States campuses into 21st-century learning environments environments that cultivate student success now and for decades to come will surely stand among his crowning contributions.
The University Esplanade is built around the economic development of downtown 蹤獲扦, and is a vital connection between the university and downtown projects that include PARTAs new 蹤獲扦 Central Gateway multimodal transit center, private developments from Acorn Alley and Fairmount Properties, and the new 蹤獲扦 Hotel and Conference Center. It also provides a physical link and safe pathway for students to visit, enjoy and patronize local businesses; connects residents and visitors to the 蹤獲扦 Campus; and serves as a catalyst for changing the economy of the region by creating new jobs, spurring new investment and generating taxes to the state and local economy.
The successful collaboration between 蹤獲扦 State and the city of 蹤獲扦 has been recognized by several publications, including The New York Times, and by the International Town-Gown Association, which bestowed its inaugural award on 蹤獲扦 State and the city of 蹤獲扦 for the town-gown relationship that best represents the spirit of the association.
Under Leftons leadership, 蹤獲扦 State is making one of the largest investments related to higher education in the region and in Portage County. The universitys Foundations of Excellence: Building the Future initiative includes the construction of new buildings, facility upgrades to existing buildings and the creation of dynamic, new spaces at its 蹤獲扦 Campus and Regional Campuses.