New Archer Way honors Bob and Jan Archer, two pillars of Ashland and AU community
ASHLAND, Ohio – A well-traveled pathway connecting Ashland University’s athletic complex to the heart of campus now bears the name of two of the university and Ashland community’s most enthusiastic and longtime supporters – Bob and Jan Archer.
Archer Way, officially dedicated as such during a Sept. 3 celebration, is a frequently used pedestrian corridor connecting campus with several of AU’s athletic facilities, including the Robert Troop Center/Jack Miller Stadium, Dwight Schar Athletic Complex/Ferguson Field, Deborah Liebert Karl Tennis Complex and Niss Athletic Center.
The pathway is now marked with a permanent plaque commemorating the Archers and two Archer Way street signs have been installed, one at Claremont Ave. and the other at Broad St.
The dedication event not only recognized the Archers’ generosity to Ashland University, but also of their deep connection to the broader community.
Matt Miller ’99, mayor of the City of Ashland, said he has had “countless opportunities to stand before a crowd and talk about Bob and Jan Archer … because they’ve done so much good for our community.” But this occasion felt different, being in a room full of many student-athletes showing their appreciation for the Archers.
Miller challenged those in attendance to consider what it means to be a true winner—not simply someone who works hard to make themselves better, but someone who makes others better through consistency, discipline and personal responsibility—attributes of Bob and Jan Archer.
“Let it be our prayer as we go forward today that every future generation of Eagle who walks down Archer Way remember that they’re passing down the pathway of our true winners,” he said. “You have paved a beautiful path for us Mr. and Mrs. Archer, and we will never forget the impact that you have made on the world in which we live.”
AU President Dr. Jon Parrish Peede also highlighted the Archers’ influence on the community and emphasized that their impact extends well beyond financial support.
“We could just go down the list (of donations), and that’s before we ever step foot on this campus,” Peede said. But it is the Archers’ investment in people, he added, that makes their impact especially meaningful. It’s the personal touch that they each offer, from Bob’s “exuberant energy, encouragement and optimism” to Jan’s “joyful, soulful, learned, saintly” characteristics that makes them stand out even more.
“To care that much about athletics, but also (to) transform academics, to understand the Early Promise program, to invest in faculty members, to get to know the faculty members individually, the students individually,” said Peede.
When it was his time to speak at the podium, Bob Archer quickly deflected the attention away from himself and Jan and toward the enduring relationship between the university and the city.
“Some people ask me why I like Ashland, why I like Ashland University. You know, it’s very simple. (The) Ashland community and Ashland University can’t survive without each other … and we will survive and thrive together. What would we do without Ashland University and what would Ashland University do without the city? So, I’m excited about that,” he said. “Again, thank you very much for this honor. We are very pleased.”
Over the years, the Archers’ support of Ashland University has touched virtually every corner of campus, including the Archer Library, Honors Program, student housing renovations and campus-wide enhancements. Their philanthropy has established an endowed professorship in American history and politics, endowed funds for the Ashland Center for Nonviolence, the Archer Dietetics Food Lab and numerous student scholarships.
They have also been tremendous supporters across the athletic department, serving as one of four lead donors to the Niss Athletic Center and bringing turf baseball and softball fields to the Archer Ballpark Complex among other projects.
Now, each student who walks Archer Way will encounter a daily reminder of that legacy and of the Archers’ belief in the connection between Ashland University and the community it calls home.
