Byrd gift names small space with vital function

One of the most recent naming gifts was that of the second-floor Byrd Family IT Closet, funded by David L. and Monica H. Byrd. David (BS 01), pictured above with his sons, is a longtime member and soon-to-be president of the CEE Alumni Association Board of Directors and Monica is a proud Accounting alumna (BS 01) of the Gies College of Business.

“The CEE department at Illinois is widely regarded as the best in the world,” David wrote. “The department has consistently maintained this status by having world-class faculty and staff that produce cutting-edge research and educate the top engineering students in the world. It’s necessary that Illinois has modern facilities to support this work, and our gift represents our commitment to this effort. The Modernization project ensures that our faculty, staff and students will be supported in their present and future career pursuits to achieve their full potential.

“We inquired about supporting the project through identifying a smaller, more nondescript portion of the building that aligns with a gift level we were comfortable with. We feel the Byrd Family IT Closet will stand as an example of our commitment to the department and will reflect the role I have taken in our profession. The IT Closet serves a vital function to the overall building, supporting those that use the facility for their research and education through connection, communication and sharing of information.

“We are honored to have our name associated with a small portion of this facility that does so much in support of the overall effort of this great department.”