Timberlake House addition honors Evans

Recalling Michael Evans' classes and seminars as a highlight of his Kenyon education, Rick Balaban '72, P'09 sought an appropriate way to honor the professor of history and humanities whose exacting approach to scholarship and teaching was a special influence. "He inspired generations of history students," says Balaban. "We were privileged to study with him."

Evans joined the history department in 1965. A scholar of European intellectual history, Evans is a specialist in the Italian Renaissance with research interests centered on Niccolò Machiavelli. During his 45-year career, Evans taught a range of courses focusing on the cultural and intellectual history of western civilization.

When Evans, who co-founded the Integrated Program in Humane Studies in 1975, announced his retirement, a small group of former students approached Kenyon officials about how to best honor Evans' legacy. In consultation with Evans, and considering the needs of the growing IPHS program, a plan developed to construct a new seminar room on the south side of Timberlake House, home to IPHS.

A few months later, the generous contributions from several of Evans' former students and a $60,000 allocation from Kenyon have made the seminar room a reality.

"I think a seminar room, named in his honor, is the perfect acknowledgment of a long career focused on using the small group format to help students learn to consider, discuss, challenge, and debate; to take a view, to state and defend a position," says Balaban.

The new seminar room will be dedicated on Saturday, May 9. A reception will begin at 4:00 p.m. and will be followed by the dedication at 5:00 p.m.