Purdue University students, staff, and officials gathered on the West Lafayette, Indiana, campus April 27 for the dedication of the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management and Economics, formerly the Management and Economics Library, located on the second floor of the Krannert School of Management. It is the first major campus facility named in honor of an African-American alumnus. Parrish, president, CEO, and owner of Parrish McDonald’s Restaurant Ltd., a chain of 25 stores in North Texas, provided a $2 million leadership gift to support the $4.2 million renovation project.
“Roland’s gift provided an important space that offers students an enhanced area to study and collaborate on projects,” said Purdue President France C. Córdova. “We are grateful for his commitment to student learning.”
Described as a prototype state-of-the-art library, the renovation was completed in three stages and includes team collaboration media stations, a multimedia production center, two semi-private group-study rooms, and a business information mini-classroom to support the accounting and finance curriculum. The 40-seat interactive Learning Lab contains a multiple SMART Board projection system, portable dry-erase boards, and a networked digital copy camera in a research-supported layout to facilitate greater interaction between student and instructor. The main area also consists of booth seating, café-style tables, a coffee and vending area, individual study carrels, and networked computers. In addition, the library contains the Undergraduate Management Communications Center to more closely integrate services for School of Management students.
“Purdue Libraries remain determined to redefine what a future world-class academic research library will be,” said James L. Mullins, dean of libraries and Esther Ellis Norton professor.
Parrish attended Purdue on a full athletic scholarship due to his success as a Hammond, Indiana, high school All-American track and field star and his Indiana state title in the 800-meter run. He was the first student recruited by his mentor, Cornell Bell, into Krannert’s then-fledgling Business Opportunity Program, designed to create a more diverse student body and to launch business and community leaders. Parrish made the dean’s list seven out of eight semesters.
“I’ve always enjoyed books,” Parrish told the crowd. “I spent more time in the libraries than on the track during my time on campus. A lot of my rituals and routines centered around the library. Purdue helped me get where I am in life today, so I am honored to be in a position to help others achieve their dreams.”
Parrish is also chair and CEO of the National Black McDonald’s Owner’s Association, a 40-year-old organization with $3.5 billion in sales and 1,400 restaurants. His own company consistently makes Black Enterprise magazine’s BE 100 as one of the Top 100 Black Owned Businesses in the United States.
About the new facility, Jay T. Akridge, Purdue Glenn W. Sample dean of agriculture, said, “Learning is going to be very different in the Krannert building.”