Donald and Karen Trost have named a student lounge for their children, Kyle and Kathryn, who are both arts and technology students.
Freshman Kathryn Trost is just beginning her journey at UT Dallas. At the same time, her parents have invested in another beginning – the new Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building.
Donald and Karen Trost, whose son, Kyle, is a junior arts and technology major, had been tracking the progress of the new building during visits to campus from their home in Keller, Texas. But it wasn’t until they read a University publication that they learned of naming opportunities for the building. From there, it didn’t take long for them to agree that a naming gift was something they wanted to pursue.
“We simply felt it was right to give something back to the program and UT Dallas now, while Kyle and Kathryn are both on campus, in a meaningful and lasting way,” Donald Trost said. To do so, the Trosts named a student lounge in honor of their children.
The Trosts said they originally thought that supporting their children’s University began and ended with paying tuition.
Edith O’Donnell ATEC
Building Celebrated
“Everything we’ve seen since Kyle first visited campus – the construction of new residence halls, the Student Services Building and now the new Edith O’Donnell ATEC Building – has changed the way we think,” Donald Trost said. “We hope that every time (Kyle and Kathryn) use the student lounge, they’ll feel the same sense of pride and commitment that we do.”
The Edith O’Donnell Arts and Technology Building is a 155,000-square-foot facility at UT Dallas that houses programs in visual arts, emerging media technology and multimedia communications, as well as a 1,200-seat lecture hall.
The formal dedication of the Edith O'Donnell Arts and Technology Building will be at 11 a.m. on Nov. 7 in the new building’s Lecture Hall. The event is open to the public. Attendees can take self-guided tours of labs and studios from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.