News Releases

The naming of the park is in recognition of alumnus Ray Lane’s $1 million donation toward the project. Raymond J. Lane Park will include a pedestrian bridge across the ponds, plants, landscaping and benches. The area will accommodate large and small gatherings and provide scenic photo opportunities.

 

“The new Erickson Alumni Center is a fantastic resource and facility for WVU and its alumni,” Magrath said. “It is now being enhanced with a beautiful park setting that is going to be renamed for Ray Lane - an outstanding WVU alumnus, valuable member of the Board of Governors and someone whose moral, intellectual and financial contributions are profoundly appreciated by all of us.”

 

The budget for the project is approximately $1.4 million, with $400,000 coming from University capital funds. It is expected to get under way this fall.

 

Lane is also contributing an additional $500,000 to help defray costs of construction of the Alumni Center. In recognition of this separate gift, the BOG approved naming the roadway from University Avenue to the Alumni Center, One Ray Lane.

 

“Ray Lane continues to carry on his long-standing commitment to WVU,” said Stephen L. Douglas, president and chief executive officer of the WVU Alumni Association. “Lane Park will be a wonderful addition to the WVU campus. It will not only enhance the surroundings of our alumni center, but also will provide a beautiful green space for alumni, students and visitors to enjoy.”

 

A 1968 graduate of WVU’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, Lane helped make Oracle Corp. one of the nation’s leading software developers. He is currently managing partner in the venture capital firm of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. 

 

“WVU alumni are exceptional people. They are recognized worldwide as the most ardent supporters of any university on the planet,” Lane said. “Now, with most modern alumni center on the planet, accompanied with this beautiful alumni park, we can work even harder to make WVU a University with no peer.” 

 

Lane chaired the WVU Foundation’s “Building Greatness” capital campaign several years ago, and he and his wife, Stephanie, made a $5 million contribution to the WVU Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, which was named in their honor. 

 

In addition to serving on the BOG, he was inducted into the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 1997 and the Order of Vandalia in 2004. He received an honorary doctorate of science from WVU in 2002 and is a former member of the WVU Foundation Board of Directors.