Committee approves naming campus center after major donor following property purchase

The Mission and Academic Experience Committee of the University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees approved a resolution recommending that the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown name a newly acquired property the John R. Mueslin University Center following a private gift that covered the purchase price.

Committee Chair Debbie Gelotti opened the meeting and asked President Jem Spector of the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown to introduce the resolution under consideration. President Spector said the purchase price of the office building was about $2,100,000 and that the acquisition was “entirely covered with a gift of approximately $2,500,000” from the donor identified during the meeting as John R. Mueslin. He described the gift as “transformational” and said the building “is in great shape” though additional work will be needed to adapt it for university uses.

The committee was told the acquired property totals about 74 acres at 500 Schoolhouse Road adjacent to the Johnstown campus and includes a four‑story, roughly 178,000‑square‑foot furnished office building with an outdoor courtyard and about 500 parking spaces. Spector said some campus uses can begin immediately because the building has “a lot of furnishings” that could upgrade areas of campus that lack suitable furniture. He also said the campus will pursue additional gifts and grants and complete a feasibility study to estimate renovation needs and costs.

Trustee Robbie Luxbacher asked whether significant additional work would be required and how that work would be funded; Spector replied that the building is “in great shape” but that the campus will pursue additional gifts and grants and will rely on a forthcoming feasibility study to determine next steps. A second trustee identified in the meeting as Trustee Maher asked about the donor’s background; Spector said Mueslin is an alumnus who later worked as an executive at Kodak and who, with his late wife Marsha, has been a longtime supporter of the campus.

Chancellor Gable and President Spector recommended naming the facility the John R. Mueslin University Center in recognition of the donor’s support. The committee moved and seconded a resolution recommending approval of that name; the chair called for a voice vote, asked for any opposed, and announced, “The resolution stands approved.” The meeting record does not list a roll‑call tally; the chair noted no opposition during the voice vote.

The campus leaders emphasized that the acquisition positions the campus strategically for future enrollment and program growth as it approaches its centennial, but they also noted further planning and fundraising will be required to convert the building fully to university uses. No implementation timeline or total renovation cost estimate was provided at the meeting.