With a $1 million donation from Lenny Dowhie and his wife Anne, the USI Ceramic Center officially becomes the “Lenny and Anne Dowhie Ceramic Studio.”

“It was pretty humbling really – we joke and tease about it because when you’re the only person teaching in an area it sort of becomes your building anyway, and students always used to call it ‘Lenny Land,’” Dowhie said. “I think they are going to make a plaque for that anyway, in addition to the university sign.”

Dowhie was the second ceramics professor hired and the longest serving ceramics professor at USI. He worked at the university for 33 years and was a main component for opening the Ceramic Center in 2009.

“(USI President) Linda Bennett pointed out that I was the longest serving art instructor in campus history, which I didn’t even realize,” he said. “It’s kind of weird in a way to drive pass a building that has your name on it – it’s kind of like, ‘Oh sh*t.’”

The money will go into USI’s “Elevating Excellence” Capital Campaign.

Without any children, and being founders of Expressions of Culture, Inc. in Chicago, Ill., the Dowhies found some money to give back to USI.

“In a way (it was) to continue our influence and make life a little more exciting and easy for future generations. We are lucky enough to be in a position to financially be able to leave behind a significant endowment,” he said.

He hopes his contribution also makes liberal arts students more aware that they do not have to be thought of as the stereotypical broke liberal arts graduates, he said.

“I want students to realize that you can still be a blood and guts artist, and you can still make money,” he said. “If I was still here, I would be one of those people on the Faculty Senate arguing for an increase (in support) because it’s much more vital. If you’re out in the real world, you find that liberal arts people are the people getting hired a lot because they’re more flexible. I want to do something for the kids who take those kinds of classes. Hopefully that money will make it possible.”

Dowhie becomes the first current or former faculty member to have a building named after him.

He also wants to motivate faculty members to consider donating to USI as well.

“This might work as an example to other faculty members,” he said. “All of us have different financial circumstances in life, and certainly those with children have different ones, but faculty members, as they get into their own retirement – whether it is early like I took or not – I hope they help support things that they truly believe in. I strongly believe in a liberal arts education.”

Dowhie said he and his wife also donated to the Evansville Museum, Central High School and Planned Parenthood.

Features editor Bobby Shipman contributed to this story.