Penn State Shenango celebrated the naming of two campus buildings recently: the Lartz Memorial Library on Vine Avenue in downtown Sharon, and the McDowell Hall on Shenango Avenue.
The newly named buildings were part of the largest renovation project in the history of the Shenango campus -- the project was completed in the summer of 1996. The 12,000-square-foot, single-level library facility houses more than 30,000 volumes, student study rooms and a library computer system.
The library was named after the Lartz family -- Vera Lartz and her late husband Dr. Robert E. Lartz, and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude B. Lartz. The Lartzes have financially supported the campus for many years.
A recent major gift by Vera Lartz completed the campus' library renovation drive.
McDowell Hall is home to the campus bookstore, learning center and a community conference room. McDowell Hall was named in recognition of 1936 alumnus William P. McDowell, a long-time friend and benefactor of Penn State Shenango campus, who died in 1996.
Over the years, McDowell contributed more than $2 million to the campus.