On Thursday, May 12, the Newman University student residence hall recently known as New Hall became Carrocci Hall in honor of current Newman President Noreen M. Carrocci, Ph.D. The renaming came at the request of the late Bill Allen and his wife Pucci, who made a significant contribution to the university last year.
The rededication took place during a special ceremony at 2:30 p.m. at the hall, which is on McCormick Street just northwest of and adjacent to the Newman campus at 3100 McCormick.
“I am humbled – and somewhat overwhelmed – by this very special honor,” Carrocci said. “The request from the Allens came as a total surprise to me, but I am pleased to honor their wishes, and so very grateful to the Allens for their support of Newman University, as well as of me personally.”
The Allens made a generous gift last year to Facing Forward – A Campaign for Newman University. The campaign is designed to create the Bishop Gerber Science Center and upgrade existing health sciences and nursing education facilities on the Newman campus.
The Allens were given the opportunity to designate a building or a portion of a building on campus and decided to honor Carrocci because of her commitment to Newman and the accomplishments she has made since coming to the university in 2007.
Bill and Pucci Allen moved to Wichita in the late 1950s and called the city home for 30 years while owning and operating Allen Electric Supply Co. They quickly came to love their community and were passionate about making a difference. Their enthusiasm for and support of higher education led them to contribute to Newman University because of the school’s service and commitment to the community.
“Bill appreciated that the science programs at Newman provide nurses and allied health professionals to the community,” said Newman Vice President for University Advancement J.V. Johnston. “It was important to Bill that the community be taken care of.”
The Newman Facing Forward campaign is designed to raise $30 million to renovate health sciences facilities in the existing Eck Hall, which houses the university’s nursing and allied health programs, build a new 51,400 square foot science building, grow the university’s endowment and provide for the Newman Fund, which supports student scholarships.
Noreen M. Carrocci, Ph.D. is the 11th president of Newman University. She is the fourth female and the first lay woman to hold the office. She came to Newman from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., where she served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs.
Since coming to Wichita, Carrocci has been an advocate for private, Catholic higher education, and an active member of several civic and professional organizations and boards. She served or has previously served on the Board of Directors for Via Christi Health, Wichita Rotary Charitable Fund, the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, Wichita Grand Opera, the Wichita Community Foundation, and the 4-Wichita KU School of Medicine – Wichita Advancement Board. She is a member of the Kansas Independent Colleges Association (KICA) and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) Board of Directors, and is active on numerous community committees.
Carrocci earned her undergraduate degree in communication and psychology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She received a master’s and a doctoral degree in speech communication and human relations from the University of Kansas.
