An honorary doctor of laws and family and consumer sciences alumnus will have a campus building named in his honor early next month.
The Retailing and Consumer Sciences Center will be renamed the Terry J. Lundgren Center for Retailing in honor of Terry J. Lundgren, a prominent UA alumnus and the president and CEO of Federated Department Stores.
Lundgren, who graduated from the UA in 1975 with a business degree, was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in 2000 and also gave the commencement address that year, said Melinda Burke, director of the Retailing and Consumer Sciences Center.
The center's name change becomes official April 1 and will be announced during the center's annual Global Retailing Conference, April 13 to 16.
"Mr. Lundgren has been involved with matters here at the UA for many years now," said Kim Brooke, senior program coordinator for the Retail and Consumer Science Center. "Both Macy's and Federated Department Stores are on the corporate advisory board for the center, and he has been very generous and helpful with the UA Foundation."
In May 2004, Lundgren was given the UA Alumni Achievement award, Burke said.
Lundgren was awarded for his involvement in the center, has been involved with Campaign Arizona and is sitting on the executive advisory committee for the new building, Brooke said.
"Terry Lundgren's contribution toward the center is, in my opinion, his way of giving back to the UA community for the education he received and also a way to help other students in achieving their academic and career goals," Burke said.
Kristen Bowness, a retailing and consumer sciences freshman, said she thinks naming the building after an alumnus will give the center more "UA spirit" because most other buildings on campus are named after alumni and past presidents.
"I think the change would be a great idea," Bowness said. "It sounds like a great honor for him. I think that this will also help get more recognition for the school."
Jonathan Siegel, a retail and consumer sciences senior, said he thinks it is a good idea to have a name like Terry Lundgren associated with the center at the UA.
"I really think that having this will provide a great opportunity for students in retailing," Siegel said.
Lundgren said he was proud to have the center named after him.
"I am honored to have my name associated with the university and specifically the center for retailing," Lundgren said. "It was a wonderful place to live and learn when I attended college in the 1970s and it is significantly better today."