YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Pollock Foundations donated $100,000 to Youngstown State University in support of the outdoor terrace at Kilcawley Center, part of the ongoing Kilcawley: Centered on the Future campaign.
The new terrace will create a multiuse space where students can relax, gather and engage with campus life in the heart of campus.
This gift follows the tradition of significant gifts from the Pollock Foundations to YSU capital projects. The Foundations gifted $150,000 in 2002 toward the construction of the Andrews Recreation and Wellness Center and $250,000 in 2008 toward the construction of the new Williamson College of Business Administration building. With a philanthropic relationship with the university spanning more than 35 years, the Pollock Foundations’ giving to YSU exceeds $1 million.
“We are honored and deeply grateful for the Pollock Foundation’s steadfast support,” YSU President Bill Johnson said. “This new outdoor terrace will enhance student life and provide a vibrant gathering place that reflects the spirit of community that the Pollock family has long championed.”
The Pollock family’s connection to Youngstown State and the Mahoning Valley is long running. In 1949, Mary Wick Pollock gifted the family home – originally built in 1893 by her father, Paul Wick – to the university. The home has since served many roles at YSU, including as classrooms, administrative offices and a boutique inn, before becoming the official residence of the university president.
Mary Wick Pollock was married to Porter Pollock, son of William B. Pollock, founder of the William B. Pollock Co. – a leading manufacturer of blast furnaces and steel industry equipment. Porter Pollock led the company until he died in 1931, after which their son, William B. Pollock II, assumed leadership. William Pollock II further extended the family’s legacy of service by serving on YSU’s Board of Trustees in 1964.
“The Pollock Foundations’ latest gift is yet another reflection of a long and meaningful legacy,” said Scott Schulick, chairman of the Kilcawley: Centered on the Future Campaign. “Their support continues to shape the student experience and the campus landscape, and we are proud to celebrate their contributions with the new outdoor terrace.”