Oregon Tech held the official rededication of the recently renovated Boivin Hall at the Klamath Falls campus Oct. 16. During the event, the university honored former Senator Betsy Johnson by dedicating the atrium in the building in her honor.
Built in 1976, Boivin Hall had not seen any upgrades since that time. With support from the Oregon Legislature, the Boivin Hall remodel received a nearly $20 million investment to update the facility, which is used for teaching, laboratory experiences, and student support services.
The renovation included critical life/safety upgrades, ADA compliance, structural and seismic retrofitting, and classroom/lab rehabilitation. The renovation also enabled the building to accommodate additional services, including the university registrar's office, information technology services, and online education.
In addition to celebrating the renovation of Boivin Hall, Oregon Tech recognized the visionaries who contributed to its development.
“Harry D. Boivin was a champion of rural Oregon and ensured that those voices had a say in statewide policy,” Oregon Tech President Dr. Nagi Naganathan said at the event. “He was an architect of opportunity. His leadership and coalition-building across party lines directly led to the establishment of the Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls, bringing technology-focused higher education to Southern Oregon.”
Oregon Tech named the building in honor of Harry Boivin after his passing in 1999. Every student who studies at Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls now benefits from the use of the building, either in general education courses or through student services.
At the event, Oregon Tech also unveiled the Senator Betsy Johnson Innovation Atrium in honor of Elizabeth “Betsy” Johnson, a former state senator from Scappoose, Oregon.
An early proponent of the Boivin Hall renovation, Johnson has been a strong supporter of Oregon Tech and higher education. Leaving the state senate in 2021, Johnson continues to advocate for economic and educational success.
“Senator Betsy Johnson has already made a sizeable impact on the legacy of Oregon Tech,” President Naganathan said. “It was her vision to scale up industry, university, and government collaborations, which led to the development of the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center (OMIC) R&D in Scappoose, which Oregon Tech is proud to host. Her leadership and vision have strengthened Oregon's economy and created pathways for students and innovators across the state of Oregon.”
“Through her partnership with Dr. Naganathan, Senator Johnson came to deeply value the university’s mission and championed projects from the engineering building to Boivin Hall. She was a true mover and shaker who always knew where to shake the walls and trees to make things happen,” said John Davis, Chair of the Oregon Tech Board of Trustees.
During her remarks, Johnson shared that what distinguishes Oregon Tech from other institutions is the demand for excellence and the drive and commitment of the students.
“A deep understanding that moving forward to serve society, address industry needs, and train professionals to fill the next generation of innovation-driven jobs is the mission of Oregon Tech,” Johnson said at the event. “I extend my deepest gratitude to President Nagi and his leadership team for their motivation to cause Oregon Tech to be thrust into the top tier of Oregon’s universities.”
###
