Legacy Collections Center named for Charles and Lynn Zhang

KALAMAZOO—Western Michigan University's soon-to-be-constructed archives facility will bear the names of two of the University's most noted alumni, Charles and Lynn Zhang.

Following formal action by the WMU Board of Trustees today, the 16,000-square-foot building will be known as the Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center.

The $8 million Legacy Collections Center, officially part of University Libraries, will be built on WMU's Oakland Drive Campus. The campus includes the grounds and some of the original buildings of the Kalamazoo State Hospital, all of which constitute a Michigan historic area.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the project, attended by donors, was held July 19, and site preparation has begun. Major benefactors to the Legacy Collections include the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation, Kalamazoo Community Foundation and Dr. Frederick J. and Katharine D. Rogers. The WMU Board of Trustees naming policy stipulates that naming opportunities are available when at least half of a facility's construction costs are covered through private gifts.

Both Charles and Lynn Zhang are well known in the international financial arena. Charles Zhang is regularly ranked among the top 100 financial advisors in the nation by Barron's magazine, while Lynn Zhang has been quoted in national media including CNBC and Barron's. Both have master's degrees from WMU, with Charles Zhang earning a master's degree in economics and Lynn Zhang earning her master's in accountancy.

The Zhangs have long been active within the WMU community. They have supported many University programs, including the Haworth College of Business, Department of Economics, and the Academically Talented Youth Program in the Lee Honors College. The Zhangs' two sons, Mitchell and Alex, both have participated in that program. Lynn Zhang also serves as a member of the WMU Foundation Board of Directors.