By Sarah Carlson, Arts Editor

The Biblical Studies Building will be officially renamed the Onstead-Packer Biblical Studies Building this weekend in honor of the late Lynn Packer and Robert Onstead.

Both Onstead and Packer were Board of Trustees members and co-chaired a campaign in the mid ’80s to build a new Biblical Studies Building. In seven months, the two men had raised $13 million.

Packer died in 2001, and Onstead died in August. After Onstead died, Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, said he began discussions with Don Crisp, chair of the Board of Trustees, about ways to honor the contributions of the two men.

“Mr. Crisp and I decided this would be an appropriate way to honor these two men who were very instrumental in us being able to have this fine facility,” Money said.

He said they had the idea to rename the Biblical Studies Building in August after Onstead’s death, and the Board of Trustees approved it in October.

The widows of Onstead and Packer, Kay and Barbara, respectively, will also be honored when the building is officially renamed this weekend.

Dr. Jack Reese, dean of the College of Biblical Studies, agreed regarding Packer and Onstead’s influence on the university.

“These are obviously people of such profound importance to this college and this building,” Reese said.