UMass Amherst to Build UMass Service Workers Honor Pavilion, Funded by Major Gift

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has received a $7 million gift from an anonymous donor to build a UMass Service Workers Honor Pavilion, recognizing the vital contributions provided to the university community by these dedicated employees.

The pavilion will be constructed on land adjacent to the Arthur F. Kinney Center for Renaissance Studies off East Pleasant Street. The open-air facility will be a valuable community asset, open for quiet contemplation as well as gatherings. The pavilion is being designed by architect Sigrid Miller Pollin, UMass professor emerita, who is donating her time and expertise. Construction will begin soon, with the facility expected to be completed by next summer.

“This beautiful new addition to campus will be dedicated to our service workers who played an immense role in sustaining the university during the COVID-19 pandemic, and it will provide an enduring reminder of their importance to UMass Amherst,” Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy said. “We are deeply grateful for all they do each day, and for our donor’s generous gift.

The chancellor noted that the anonymous donor was inspired by the frontline service provided by the approximately 1,400 UMass employees who cook and serve food on campus, clean and maintain buildings, operate campus stores, and more generally deliver, day in and day out, a flourishing teaching, research, and learning environment.

Everyone associated with UMass, as well as the general public, will be able to enjoy the pavilion and its natural surroundings. The university especially welcomes opportunities for service workers to organize family outings at the pavilion.