Published July 30. 2014 12:00AM
"The gift that Ron DeLong gave us put us over the $3-million mark," said Dr. Ann Williams, Chancellor, The Pennsylvania State University, Lehigh Valley campus.
The third floor gallery was unveiled as the Ronald K. De Long Gallery at Penn State Lehigh Valley before a gathering of PSU students, teachers and administration, and members of the area arts community July 23 at the PSU LV campus, 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley, Upper Saucon Township.
De Long told the dozens in attendance that he had made a promise to his partner, Charles R. McAnall III, who died two years ago, to donate money to art education for students.
"Tonight, we're fulfilling that promise," said De Long, of North Whitehall Township, who has taught drawing, painting and print-making for five years at PSU LV.
The reception also celebrated the establishment of the Charles R. McAnall III Scholarship.
"We promised we would do something in education to honor the arts," De Long told a reporter for the Focus section of Lehigh Valley Press at the reception.
Continuing in the gallery through Aug. 15 is the annual PSU LV Student Art Exhibition.
Following the gallery name unveiling, Williams said $3,282,000 was raised in the seven-year campaign, the first for PSU LV.
"I think it's representative of the support we have of alumni and friends in the Lehigh Valley region," Williams said.
"All of the monies that we raised in the campaign go to Lehigh Valley students," said Williams.
Approximately 1,000 students take classes at PSU LV, located at the Center Valley campus for five years. The campus was previously in the Fogelsville area. PSU has had a Valley campus for 103 years.