ronment for undergraduate and graduate student life while preserving the building’s historic grandeur. The original building housed the president’s office, classrooms, a chemical laboratory, a library and a chapel, all of which were later relocated on an expanding campus. A gym was added to the building in 1874. As part of the extensive 1956 renovation, the interior was gutted and a three-story stone addition went up on the building’s south side, facing South Mountain. It’s anticipated that the latest renovation project will be finished by the Fall 2025 semester, LaRose said. The new renovation aims to restore the Clayton UC as the heart of campus, as it was when the university was first established more than 150 years ago. Shepley Bulfinch, a national architecture, planning and interior design firm, is leading the redesign. The university also partnered with construction manager Skanska USA to better engage minority, women and disadvantaged business enterprises in the project construction. L gift, the renovated boardroom, which will be used by students and others in the Lehigh community for meetings and conferences, will be named in their honor. The family also had Elaine Harmon’s passion in mind when envisioning a scholarship gift. A first-grade teacher, Elaine understood the impact of education. The Elaine and John J. Harmon ’59 Endowed Scholarship Fund will enrich the lives of talented students for generations to come by enabling affordable access to a Lehigh education and all the opportunities it offers. Finally, John Harmon’s belief in the value of civil discourse sparked the gift to Compelling Perspectives. In 2023-24, the program presented perspectives on national security from Theresa May, former UK prime minister (2016-19), and Leon Panetta, former secretary of defense and Central Intelligence Agency director. The Harmon family’s gift is part of GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers, a $1.25 billion campaign fueling the university’s strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers, and its top priorities, which include endowed scholarships and the renovation of the Clayton UC. SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CLAYTON UC RENOVATION. From left, a fossil found inside the Clayton UC during renovations; an old logbook for a projector; the outside of the Clayton UC during renovations. SPRING 2024 | 29 CHRISTA NEU
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