LAKELAND, Fla. (Jan. 10, 2008) — The Melvin Art Gallery at Florida Southern College will hold a reception this Friday at 7 p.m. to showcase the remodeled gallery, made possible through a generous gift from Marcus Burks. The Marcus and Winifred Burks Student Art Gallery will be dedicated in recognition of his gift.

Marcus and his late wife, Winifred, were active members of the arts community in Lakeland for many years. Marcus remains an active member and a member of the board of the Lakeland Art Guild. Winifred Burks, who held a Ph.D. in art education, was both an artist and art educator. She was an accomplished watercolorist, and a collection of her watercolors is on permanent display in the library of the Lakeland campus of Polk Community College.

“We are very grateful to Marcus Burks for making this renovation possible,” said Dr. James Rogers, chair of the art department. “The result is one of the best gallery spaces of any college in Florida. The gallery is an important part of Florida Southern College's outstanding fine arts programs.”

The remodeling is the first since the gallery was built in the early 1970s and includes a raised ceiling to accommodate exhibitions of very large paintings. Carpeted walls have been replaced with sheet rock painted museum white, the contemporary standard of display. A large faculty office was restructured into a new student gallery and a new faculty office built from an unused corridor. Other improvements included upgrades to the wiring and to the heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive United Methodist-affiliated college with a liberal arts core. The College maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 46 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 13:1 student/faculty ratio; is a national leader in engaged learning; boasts 26 NCAA Division II national championships; and is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the Top 5 Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors and is included in The Princeton Review’s “366 Best Colleges” guide. The College is committed to the development of the whole student through vibrant student life programs that prepare graduates to make a positive, consequential impact on society. Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.

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