The Lemmons Center is named for John and Joan Lemmons. John’s original connection to the university was through the board of trustees, on which he still serves as an honorary trustee. In 1997, a large donation from the Lemmons family provided money for a complete renovation of the then-named Calder Center, and the building was renamed in their honor.
The Lemmons Center was built in 1965, through a significant donation given to the university by the Louis Calder Foundation in New York. The building was originally named the Calder Center in honor of this donation. The original design was done by Donald Lindgren; its unique shape meant to look like a water molecule. It was built in hexagonal segments to utilize the building’s space as efficiently as possible for the greatest number of students. The Calder center served as the science center for the university for three decades until the Edwards-Holman Science Center was constructed in 1994.
As the university’s prowess increased dramatically over the span of just a few years in the 1990s, it became apparent that there was a need for improvements to the campus facilities. Several buildings on campus were renovated during this time, the Calder Center being one of them. It had aged almost to the point of non-functionality. The Lemmons family provided money for a complete renovation of the building in 1997, and it was renamed the Lemmons Center in honor of their donation, however the main lecture hall in the building today is still called the Calder Lecture Hall, to honor the original donors. The renovation added three classrooms and six offices, as well as updating the aesthetic of the building.
Today, the Lemmons building houses the School of Communication and Design.