Junior Brittni Sayers has a special interest in the Baker University Mulvane Science Hall’s renovation because she takes numerous classes in the building.

After a $100,000 grant from the Goppert Foundation was awarded to the renovation, Sayers has another reason to care about it.

“Since (the Goppert Foundation) gave this grant, they get to pick which room (in Mulvane) they get to name … and I was the one who got to choose which lab got the name for the Goppert Foundation,” Sayers said.

Sayers knows the Goppert family and they chose her to pick the room because she is a current Baker student. She chose the ecology and zoology lab.

“I really like wildlife and I felt like zoology and ecology (represent that),” Sayers said.

The Goppert Foundation is a family foundation based out of Kansas City, Mo. and was established in 1959 by Clarence H. Goppert, who believed in reinvesting back into the community.

“The foundation started out of a family member’s banking system and they tend to make grants in areas of their bank operation, in the geographic areas that are in close proximity to their family banks,” Director of Major Gifts Amy Piersol said.

Grants from the Goppert foundation are typically awarded in different areas including social and human services and youth services, but the foundation also gives to education and has previously contributed to Baker University.

“They’ve been generous to us in the past and so this was an extremely generous gift that helps us get ever so closer to our goal,” University President Pat Long said.

To receive the grant, Baker submitted a proposal to the Goppert Foundation in the fall semester. The university was awarded the grant Feb. 6 and representatives came to campus Tuesday to see the building and name the room.

Doug Goppert and Tom Goppert, the grandsons of Goppert Foundation founder, take special interest in Baker because of the ties they have to the school.

Doug is a 1977 Baker graduate. While he was a student he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Doug was a senior at Baker during Professor of Biology Darcy Russell’s, who has an active role in Mulvane’s renovation, first year on campus as a student.

Sayers said she is looking forward to seeing Mulvane finished and for classes to take place in the hall.