$1M Gift from Jeff May ’75 and Karen Crossen ’76 to restore vibrancy to Runyan Center

Thanks to a $1 million gift from Jeff May ’75 and Karen Crossen ’76, Earlham College will restore Runyan Center as a more vibrant and welcoming hub for student life.

Inspired by their own Earlham experiences as students, and timed to honor both May’s 50th reunion and their 50th wedding anniversary, the couple’s generosity ensures that future generations of Earlhamites can engage and connect meaningfully at the campus’s central hub.

“Runyan was the center of our non-academic lives on campus,” May said. “You’d share a meal, stop by the mailroom, go bowling in the basement, hang out at the coffee shop, or catch a movie or student performance at Wilkinson Theater. There was always something going on. There was so much energy — it brought people together.”

The revitalization of Runyan Center will focus on four key areas:

• Renovations to the east and west entryways, which will feature updated landscaping, outdoor seating, and spaces for public art, including a new mural.

• A reimagining of Runyan’s existing courtyard — formerly a Japanese garden — with landscaping, furniture, and better access from both the dining hall and Runyan’s main corridor.

• A renewed emphasis on making Runyan an inviting first impression for prospective students and their families visiting campus.

• A new outdoor deck on the south end of Runyan, accessible from the campus café, designed for gathering, dining and relaxing.

“First impressions matter,” Crossen said. “When students and parents walk into Runyan, we want them to feel welcome — like this is a place full of life, opportunity and connection.”

The couple was inspired to give after recent visits to campus where they noticed that parts of the student center and surrounding landscaping were showing signs of age. They reached out toVice President for Institutional Advancement Kim Tanner to ask, “What could you do with $1 million?”

That conversation sparked a bold vision for bringing Runyan’s public spaces back to life, with a renewed focus on student engagement and everyday community-building.

“We don’t have children of our own, so this is our way of supporting young people,” May said. “Our hope is that this gift attracts future generations of Earlhamites who will benefit from the outstanding opportunities Earlham offers.”

May graduated with a degree in geology from Earlham while Crossen studied at Earlham for two years, taking part in the Intensive Spanish Program, before completing her undergraduate degree at Rice University. The couple married one month after May’s graduation.

This is the second $1 million gift from the couple in the past decade. Their first, in honor of their 40th anniversary and reunion, supported student scholarships and helped establish the May-Crossen Student Commons, a dynamic, multi-floor space on campus that features a coffee shop, performance area and gathering spots for collaboration and conversation.

“Giving back to Earlham feels deeply personal,” Crossen said. “I started my college journey here — the people, the values, the friendships, the immersive experiences, like studying Spanish in Mexico, had a lasting impact on who I am. We want today’s students to feel that same sense of belonging.”

Artist renderings courtesy of Hitchcock Design Group.

The Mays’ generosity will benefit students for years to come and aligns with Earlham’s long-standing commitment to community.

“We’re grateful for Jeff and Karen’s continued investment in the student experience at Earlham,” Earlham President Paul Sniegowski said. “This gift will contribute to the vibrancy of campus life that has long been a hallmark of the Earlham experience, and it will be a catalyst for new points of connection for our students.”

Construction will begin this summer. The revitalized spaces are expected to open in August by the start of the 2025-26 academic year.