LVC’s buildings namesakes

Photo provided by Thomas Hanrahan.

By Alexandra Gonzalez ’23, staff writer

The buildings on LVC’s campus each house a rich history.

The names of former presidents, longtime faculty and staff and financial supporters don the faces of these buildings. This tradition immortalizes these figures’ legacies at LVC of years of work, commitment to its mission and donations that have kept it alive and competitive.

LVC Gymnasium

In the early 1900s, an alumni campaign funded the construction of LVC’s first gymnasium.

The gymnasium was located below the President’s Office in the basement of the Humanities Building. It occupied what is now the mail room and the President’s Office. The gym contained a basketball court and a balcony above it as well as locker rooms.  

“Though dancing was technically not allowed on campus during the first two decades of the 1900s, the students often ignored this edict,” Thomas Hanrahan, director of campus communications, said. “Finally, according to legendary Professor S.O.G. (Soggy) Grimm, then-President George Daniel Gossard (1912–1932) gave in one night in the 1920s while the students held a dance below his office (Wallace, p. 185).”

In 2003, LVC’s current gymnasium opened on North Campus. It was named in honor of Louis A. Sorrentino, LVC class of 1954.

“Coach Lou, as he later became known, was a three-sport athlete at LVC who signed minor-league contracts with Major League Baseball and the National Football League,” Hanrahan said. “After coaching high school football for a few years, he returned to his alma to coach four sports and serve as athletic director for nearly 60 years. In 2012, the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) created the annual MAC Sorrentino Award in his honor.”

Carnegie Building

A fire destroyed LVC’s original, Civil War-era Administration Building.

“Despite the holiday, then-President Hervin Ulysses Roop (1897–1906) went to New York City to meet with steel magnate Andrew Carnegie and convinced him to donate $50,000 if the College could raise a matching $50,000 (it’s still common today for charitable foundations to offer matching gifts),” Hanrahan said.

Over the years, the building has been administrative offices, classrooms, a library, a bookstore and a snack bar. In 1992, the building became LVC’s Admission Office.  

Yuhas Commons

“This building was named in honor of Dean Rosemary Yuhas, with whom I had the pleasure of working with for 14 years until her retirement in 2011,” Hanrahan said.

Yuhas retired as the dean of student affairs but served as an administrator, coach and mentor to generations of students during her almost 40 years at LVC.

“She was the women’s lacrosse program’s first-ever coach (1975), coached women’s basketball, and was a nationally rated women’s basketball official,” Hanrahan said. “She still returns to campus when her former players are inducted into the LVC Athletic Hall of Fame.”

Neidig-Garber Science Center

It was named in honor of Dr. Dale Garber H’59, a successful science alumnus, who was a financial supporter for the original science center, and Dr. Anthony H. Neidig ’43, H’04, late professor emeritus of chemistry. Dr. Garber would have graduated in the class of 1918, but World War I interrupted his education.

“Dr. Neidig started one of the nation’s first small-college student-faculty research program at LVC in 1949 when he returned to his alma mater after earning his Ph.D,” Hanrahan said. “Today, the College’s top academic honor for a graduating senior is named in his honor. Coincidently, his wife celebrates her 100th birthday March 15.”

Kiyofumi Sakaguchi ’67 Mathematical Sciences Suite

It was named in honor of Kiyofumi Sakaguchi.

“I believe it is the only campus space named after an international student/alumnus,” Hanrahan said. “Kiyofumi went on to become president and chief executive officer of Prudential Financial in Japan.”

Allan W. Mund College Center

It was named in honor of Allan W. Mund, longtime trustee, who also served for a short time as interim president.

Bertha Brossman Blair Music Center

It was named in honor of Betha Brossman Blair, a major regional philanthropist, who also was a successful businesswoman in the area. 

Frederic K. Miller Chapel

It was named in honor of Dr. Frederic K. Miller, class of 1929, LVC’s 12th president, who served from 1950-1967.

Edward H. Arnold Sports Center

It was named in honor of Edward H. Arnold, a longtime trustee and currently an emeritus.

“[Edward H. Arnold’s] family has served and supported LVC for more than seven decades dating back to his parents (Arnold Stadium) and continuing through today with his wife, Jeanne Donlevy Arnold H’08, with the recent Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion,” Hanrahan said.

Heilman Center

It was named in honor of the late father and brother of Suzanne Heilman Schrotberger H’96, who also helped found the Suzanne H. Arnold Art Gallery.

Maud P. Laughlin Hall

Maud P. Laughlin Hall became LVC’s Alumni Office. It was named in honor of Maud P. Laughlin, a longtime professor and house mother, who directed the building during the time period that faculty and staff lived with students. From 1946-1957, Maud taught political science, sociology and history as well as other commitments.

“There is an excellent chapter on the history of many of our buildings in the College’s 150th anniversary book,” Hanrahan said. “It is chapter 14, ‘The Mute Stones Speak: A Brief Architectural History of Lebanon Valley College,’ by G. Daniel Massad, LVC artist-in-residence.”