Thomas Lentz '63
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The Lentz family name has a long and treasured history at Carthage College. Dr. Harold H. Lentz—who received an honorary doctorate from Carthage in 1987—presided over the College from 1952 to 1976, and Lentz Hall is named in his honor.

Now there’s a new space that further ensures the Lentz legacy will endure for generations to come.

The Tower, Carthage’s newest residence hall, opened to students in late August. Thomas W. Lentz ’63, trustee emeritus, responded to the Tower Initiative with a generous gift that names The Tower’s Lakeside Lounge for his two children, Thomas J. (T.J.) Lentz and Laura Lentz Gage: The Lentz/Gage Lakeside Lounge.

Tower Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Dedication

Carthage will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication for the Tower during Homecoming Weekend. The ceremony and dedication will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29. Following the dedication, guided Tower tours will be available from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Mr. Lentz said the gift reflects his abiding pride in the Carthage, and its commitment to providing a first-rate education.

“Carthage College has always offered incredible value,” said Mr. Lentz, “and I’m pleased to be continuing my family’s legacy by adding my support to a beautiful new residential hall.”

Mr. Lentz, chairman of Global Display Solutions, brings to his Carthage philanthropy the same acuity that has made him successful in business. Recently reviewing letters from students who had been awarded the Lentz Presidential Scholarship, he circled every time a student described a professor as role model, mentor, or used the word “excited” about a particular class.

He was impressed – and intrigued. The next time he visited campus, he asked students a key question: “What do you like about Carthage College?”

The answers universally pointed to positive interactions with faculty, with responses like: “My professors talk to me outside the classroom” or “During monthly lunches we talk about life.” Other students cited “The absolutely amazing fun I’ve had with biology this year” and “How interesting organic chemistry has been.” Others had a hard time deciding: “I’ve had many eye-opening experiences,” said one student.

That feedback, said Mr. Lentz, is heartening. Citing a Gallup- Purdue University survey of college graduates, he noted that where students go to college has little effect on job satisfaction, “but what made the biggest difference was the quality of the education, and, specifically, a professor who created excitement about learning and teachers who genuinely care.”

Because Carthage faculty do care, he said, the College now ranks among the top educational institutions in the country for improving student cognitive and communication skills. It’s also why he chooses to support Carthage College. “It is an investment in the future leaders of our country,” he said.

When asked about the generous gift, Carthage President John Swallow reflected, “Time and time again, the Lentz family has shown great leadership at Carthage. Their most recent support to name the most prominent lounge in the new tower will provide generations of students an idyllic space in which to live and learn.”

The Lentz/Gage Lakeside Lounge is the largest and most prominent community space in the new resident hall. The Tower adds 126 beds and, by linking two original residence halls, enhances the campus experience with new gathering spaces, lounges, kitchens, seminar rooms, individual study areas, a patio, courtyard, and a sand volleyball court.