The Berney Family Welcome Center
Creating a Culture of Philanthropy
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Dedicated in Fall 2016, the donor recognition wall at the Berney Family Welcome Center exhibits the names of 27 families, individuals, and organizations central in funding the center’s construction. The wall design features a sculptural rendition of a visual word cloud, with the scale of each name relative to the size of each contribution. The donor wall now serves as the centerpiece of a one-of-a-kind donor recognition program for the first of its kind Berney Family Welcome Center at Kansas State University.
Housed in a historic sports stadium, the $20 million Berney Family Welcome Center combines three key aspects of student life into one location: a welcoming Great Room, new Student Services, and a Career Center. The Great Room and Career Center bookend the building while Admissions and Financial Aid are situated at the center. Previously, these resources were scattered across campus. Now, the center offers an integrated student life experience.
Working in collaboration with the Kansas State University Foundation, Michael Courtney Design developed the design strategy, language, and graphic elements to recognize the generosity of the center’s 27 donors. The graphic elements designed by the team include a sculptural donor recognition wall in the Great Room; presentation theater, significant space, and interview room naming; and plaza and building graphics on the building exterior.
• The building, combining 3 key functions of student life, is the first of its kind in a university setting.
• By design, donor recognition is spread throughout the building to highlight specific donated areas.
• The project was commissioned by the Kansas State University Foundation as part of their ongoing mission to create and nurture a culture of philanthropy.
• By design, donor recognition is spread throughout the building to highlight specific donated areas.
• The project was commissioned by the Kansas State University Foundation as part of their ongoing mission to create and nurture a culture of philanthropy.
The Berney Family Welcoming Center was awarded gold in Graphis Design Annual 2017.
