The gift from Robert A. Clohan III ’67, the late Elon alumnus, parent and grandparent, and his son, alumnus and Trustee Charles R. Clohan ’98, will support construction of Sankey Hall. In recognition of the gift from one of Elon's most generous families, the university will rename Colonnades Dining Hall as Clohan Hall on Thursday, Dec. 7 at 4:15 p.m.
The Elon community is invited to attend the dedication of Clohan Hall on Thursday, Dec. 7, at 4:15 p.m. in front of the dining facility. The event will include remarks from President Leo M. Lambert and Elon Trustee Charles Clohan whose family’s engagement and support of Elon span five decades. The dedication will be followed by a reception in the lobby of the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center.
The generous gift from Bob ’67 P’98 P’02 GP’10 GP’20 and Charles Clohan ’98 will support Richard W. Sankey Hall, the three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility currently under construction on the north end of the McMichael Science Center parking lot and adjacent to Clohan Hall. Sankey Hall will include the Doherty Center for Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship, Chandler Family Professional Sales Center, a Design Thinking Center and Financial Education Center — all programs and facilities that are available to students in every major, school and college.
Elon is honored to count three generations of the Clohan family as part of the Elon family. In addition to Bob and Charles Clohan, the family’s Elon alumni connections include Bob’s daughter, Lisa Clohan Rankin ’02, grandchildren Brad Clohan ’10 and Madisen Johnson ’20, and niece Katie Clohan ’19.
Bob Clohan served as chief executive officer of the Dittmar Company, a leading developer, builder and manager of apartment communities, hotels and office buildings in northern Virginia. During his long and successful business career, Clohan exemplified what it meant to cultivate a lifelong relationship with Elon. He was an enthusiastic champion for Elon in the northern Virginia business community and faithfully supported students and alumni throughout the Washington, D.C., area, helping to develop the next generation of business leaders and build a vibrant alumni network that is critical to Elon’s future.
Clohan’s support of growing the university’s endowment and building exceptional facilities was essential to the development of the modern Elon. The impact of his gifts can be seen across Elon’s campus, including the Ernest A. Koury Sr. Business Center and the Inman Admissions Welcome Center, the latter of which features the 175-seat Clohan Theatre, where thousands of prospective students and their families gather each year to learn about Elon. Clohan was also a loyal annual donor to scholarships and made a significant estate gift to Elon, helping to sustain the university for generations to come. Bob Clohan passed away on Oct. 30.
Charles Clohan has also been a devoted supporter of Elon, making annual gifts to the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, as well as supporting scholarships and the Phoenix Club. He is a member of the 1889 Society, which recognizes donors who make annual gifts to the university.