Ashland University Office of Admission Moves to Welcome Center

ASHLAND, Ohio -- As of Monday, June 14, the Ashland University Office of Admission will have a new home and will be located in what will be known as the Welcome Center/Office of Admission at 430 College Avenue. This building was formerly known as the Gill Center.

Thomas Mansperger, director of the Office of Admission, said the admission staff is excited about the new offices and the new location on campus. The Welcome Center/Office of Admission is located on College Avenue next to the Dauch College of Business and Economics.

“The new location provides us with a number of positive things, including easier access to the office with parking directly behind the building and a handicap accessible entrance,” Mansperger said. “The new location features spectacular architecture and is less of an office environment and more of a home atmosphere, which is much more welcoming for the visitors who come to campus.”

Mansperger noted that the new location has a larger lobby area that portrays more of a living room atmosphere and a more inviting area.

“The new location also provides us with more offices than we had previously and the offices in the new location are much larger,” he said. “In addition, the new location is designed so the work area will not be visible to visitors like it was before.”

The two-story building was built in 1933 and has been known as the Gill Center since it was dedicated by the University in 1979. The building features stunning architecture throughout and the recent remodeling of the home has kept the integrity of the architecture.

The home originally belonged to the R. C. Garretson family. Garretson was the owner of the Ashland Lumber Company. His wife, Dorothea Myers Garretson, was the granddaughter of Henry Myers, who served as superintendent of the construction of the early buildings on campus, including Founders Hall.

In 1933, during the Great Depression, Garretson hired several builders to construct this present house at 430 College Avenue. Another house had been located on this same lot and was moved to 302 Samaritan Avenue in 1932.

In 1968, the family donated the home to Ashland University in memory of R.C. Garretson. The Center for Business and Economic Education was established on July 1, 1968, and was located in this building. On Oct. 28, 1979, the Center for Business and Economic Education was renamed The Gill Center for Business and Economic Education, in tribute to the support of the Harry R. and Patricia Gill family, who were long-time supporters of Ashland University and Ashland Theological Seminary.

Harry R. Gill II, who passed away on June 6, 2005, served as a member of the Ashland University Board of Trustees for 19 years and chaired the Board’s Development Committee for four years. He was honored by the University in 1983 with an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree.

Ashland University is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students.

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