Last night Robert Morris University President Gregory Dell’Omo, students, faculty and alumni gathered for a double celebration at the new School of Communications and Information Systems building on RMU’s Moon campus.

After a vote among SCIS faculty and staff, the new building’s name was revealed last night the Wheatley Center.

According to the email that went out during voting, Phyllis Wheaty was an African-American slave in the Colonial era. She was the first published African American poet. Committed to the cause of American independence, she wrote about patriotism and colonial leaders.

“Tonight we celebrate the accomplishments of Robert Morris University. Tomorrow we go back to work,” said Dell’Omo followed by laughter and a round of applause.

He continued to say that the improvements to RMU’s campus are nowhere near finished. Soon construction crews will begin to break ground in order to build the new School of Nursing building that should be ready for next fall.

“The future is very, very bright for RMU,” he added.

RMU’s Changing Lives, Building Futures capital campaign helped fund the building of the Wheatley Center. Chairman and CEO of Gateway Financial and Chairman of RMU’s Changing Lives, Building Futures campaign David J. Malone created the campaign in order to build new modern academic spaces. This campaign raised more the $40 million in five years, which is the most successful fundraising campaign Robert Morris has ever had.

“We said we would do it, and we did it,” Dell’Omo announced during his speech.

Robert Morris is nowhere near finished with all of the big improvements that Dell’Omo has in mind. Students can look forward to impressive changes on the RMU campus.