Martin Hall on the WVU Downtown Campus
Mountaineer alumni James and Barbara Gilkerson are investing in improvement and innovation as exemplified through their recent $300,000 gift to the West Virginia University Reed School of Media and Communications within the WVU College of Creative Arts and Media.
The Gilkersons’ latest endowment ensures the modernization of room 103 in Martin Hall. The oldest building on campus, Martin Hall is situated in Woodburn Circle and home to the Reed School.
“The upcoming renovation to room 103 in Martin Hall will turn this classroom into a hub for creative work,” Reed School Director Emily Corio said. “With technology and design upgrades, students will have an engaging and exciting space to collaborate and learn. The Gilkersons’ investment in our School will positively impact many students for years to come. We are grateful for their continued support.”
James Gilkerson, a West Virginia native, graduated from the Reed School with a bachelor’s degree in public relations in 1967 and served four years as a computer programmer in the U.S. Air Force. He then spent more than 34 years in industrial and health care public relations including roles in three corporations: National Steel, Kaiser Steel and General Dynamics. He worked for Hughes Aircraft Company, Raytheon Company and Kaiser Permanente, a leading nonprofit health care management organization.
Barbara Gilkerson, also a native West Virginian, graduated from the Reed School with a bachelor’s degree in news-editorial journalism in 1968. She spent 35 years working in labor relations and human resources for the city and county of Riverside, California, and for Kaiser Permanente, managing nationwide responsibilities for the company.
The Reed School, formerly the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism, was the Gilkersons’ launching point for success. They first met at Martin Hall.
“We appreciate that the communications skills we learned at the School are transferable to unlimited careers and situations,” James said. “Those skills always have served us well and helped achieve personal satisfaction throughout our careers. We take great pleasure in giving funds to aid young West Virginians. By doing so, we are taking the career satisfaction we have gained and are paying it forward to future students who will recognize, as we have, the value of all they learn at the Reed School.”
The renovated space in Martin Hall, to be named the James and Barbara Gilkerson Learning Lab, will be a high-tech and aesthetically inviting room for collaboration and connectivity. The modifications are necessary as the School's curriculum has evolved to stay ahead of changes in the industry. While the principles of good communication always taught at the Reed School are still at the forefront, the Gilkersons are supporting students who must now know how to translate that through a variety of digital content.
Barbara and James Gilkerson
“We believe the lab will be a worthy addition to the School's continued ability to provide an innovative and inspiring top-level education for its students,” James and Barbara said. “As the worldwide media and communications arena faces exponential challenges each day, the education and skills acquired by students must be commensurate to meet those challenges. This will require access to the latest technology, equipment and brightest minds in their field.”
The School’s leaders look forward to the opportunities afforded by the renovation.
"It is critical that our programs continuously evolve to better prepare our students for their futures,” Keith Jackson, Philip J. Faini/Falbo Family Dean of the College of Creative Arts and Media, said. “This evolution includes adapting the spaces where we teach students to collaborate and introduce them to current technologies. This is only possible through philanthropic support, and we thank the Gilkersons for their generosity. Their willingness to give back means future media professionals will be better equipped to be leaders in the field for years to come."
While the Gilkersons and their gift are forward-thinking, they both share a deep appreciation of history.
He grew up in a mining town where coal was extracted to power booming industries of the time around the country. Coalwood has been highlighted in “Rocket Boys,” a popular book-turned-movie about growing up in southern West Virginia in the 1950s.
Early in her career, Barbara was an educator in Selma, Alabama. While there, she taught in both city and county schools during desegregation.
The Gilkersons also appreciate the impact of philanthropy, with a long history of generous support for the Reed School. Annual gifts to their three endowments have supported scholarships, experiential learning opportunities and now facilities.
“With the lab as a springboard, we sincerely believe that students who pass through Martin Hall will be at the forefront of their profession,” James and Barbara said. “They will be prepared to be competitive in their profession while meeting future marketplace needs.”
The Gilkersons’ gifts were made through WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University and its affiliates.