By ZOE OLSON
J Alumni News staff
Lee Enterprises and the Lincoln Journal Star have a commitment to NU’s College of Journalism and Mass Communica-tions, said Bill Johnston, publisher of the Lincoln Journal Star.
Luke Lionberger, of the University Foundation, said evidence of that commitment is found in the donation Lee Enterprises and the Lincoln Journal Star made to the journalism building.
The $150,000 donation was announced at the Oct. 5 dedication of Harold and Marian Andersen Hall, the college’s new journalism building. Lionberger said the donation provided for endowed scholarships as well as enhancements to the building.
Lee Enterprises and the Lincoln Journal Star will split equally the cost of the donation, Johnston said.
In recognition of the donation, Room 108, a classroom on the west side of the first floor of Andersen Hall has been named the Lee Enterprises/Lincoln Journal Star Classroom.
“We’ve enjoyed a good relationship with the J school students over the years, and we look forward to developing new projects with them in the future,” Johnston said.
J.C. Seacrest Lecture Hall
The lecture hall was made possible, in large part, because of gifts from family members Jim and Rhonda Seacrest, Mark and Marjorie Seacrest, Beatrice Seacrest and Ann and Wayne Southwick as well as a donation from the J.C. Seacrest Trust, said Greg Jensen of the University Foundation.
The 120-seat lecture hall features state-of-the-art technology. Lecturers can present programs in any electronic multi-media format in the lecture hall, including videotape, Power Point, CD-ROM and direct connections to cable television and the Internet. In addition, each individual seat in the lecture hall is wired for Internet connection.
The room has been named in honor of J.C. Seacrest, family patriarch, Jensen said.
J.C. Seacrest was an early employee of the Lincoln Journal who eventually became a major stockholder and then owner of the paper, said Jim Seacrest, grandson of J.C. Seacrest. The Seacrest family owned and operated the Lincoln Journal until the paper was purchased by Lee Enterprises in 1995 and merged with the Lincoln Star.