After nearly 24 years at the helm of Washington University, Mark S. Wrighton officially ended his tenure as chancellor on May 31. But thanks to the leadership of the Board of Trustees and the generosity of many alumni and friends, the names of the 14th chancellor and his wife, Risa Zwerling Wrighton, will live on at the university.
On April 27, College Hall in the South 40 residential community was renamed Risa Zwerling Wrighton Commons, or Risa Commons. And on the last day of Wrighton’s chancellorship, the Laboratory Sciences Building was rechristened Mark S. Wrighton Hall.
In addition, a portion of Hoyt Drive has been renamed Wrighton Way. This new entrance to the east end of the Danforth Campus connects Forsyth Boulevard to the Gary M. Sumers Welcome Center.
Plans to name these campus spaces for the Wrightons were initiated last year by a group of trustees seeking to honor the couple’s exceptional contributions to the university. The group established the Wrighton Tribute Fund to allow members of the university community to express their gratitude to the former first couple. Nearly 600 gifts and commitments totaling more than $5.5 million have been received.
During the dedication of Wrighton Hall, Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Craig Schnuck thanked the donors who helped the university honor the Wrightons. “Buildings across the university bear the names of great leaders who have left an indelible mark on this institution,” Mr. Schnuck said. “It is very fitting that Mark and Risa’s names join this esteemed group.”
