Behind Merrill Hall is a quiet corner of the Kent Campus, separated from the hustle of daily life by winding rows of shelves filled with books – all carved from stone. It’s also where an iconic landmark of the campus sits: The Brain.
This space, known as the Behind the Brain Plaza, was completed by Kent State University Professor Emeritus Brinsley Tyrrell in 2000. Small sculptural elements throughout add to the plaza’s story, from a seed to symbolize growth to a set of books bearing the names of Tyrrell’s students who assisted him with the project.
One other book located here, however, tells a story all its own: the legacy of the Beck Family.
Etched in a stone book also designed by Tyrrell are the names of 16 individuals who share the one important accomplishment — graduating from Kent State University. The first name listed, Dr. James R. Beck, set in motion a family tradition that has lasted 101 years and continues to this day.
James Beck, ’25, graduated from Kent State Normal College, where he met his wife, and went on to teach geography for 42 years. He also gave an endowment to the Department of Geography to support students in need. His example set the tone for all those who would follow in his footsteps, especially his son James Reed Beck, Jr., better known as Reed.
“I guess the legacy that’s lasted the whole way through is that everyone has had a heart for those who didn’t have quite as much,” said Reed, ’72, M.Ed. ’74.
As the child of a faculty member, Reed remembers unique experiences, like a faculty Christmas party that was held in Lowry Hall and cutting through Cartwright Hall where he occasionally bumped into then-president George Bowman.
Reed, who grew up in Kent, Ohio, originally went away to school in Wisconsin before enrolling at Kent State. He earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in special education, before going on to a successful career in Ravenna Public Schools.
Karen Beck, ’65, M.Ed. ’74, Reed’s wife, earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and master’s degree in special education. She taught nearly every grade, starting in Streetsboro, before spending a year at Brimfield and then the majority of her career in Ravenna.
During her last five years at Ravenna, Karen was student assistance coordinator and a certified prevention specialist for the system. In that role, she developed prevention and intervention programs, managed the Drug-Free Schools grant and worked with elementary through high school students and families. During that time, Karen was also a part-time instructor at Kent State, and following retirement, she briefly supervised student teachers.
The couple’s children, Scott Swan, M.Ed. ’91, Todd Swan, ’90, and Carrie Beck Hoover, ’92, as well as Scott’s wife, Janice, ’87, M.Ed. ’91, all graduated from Kent State. Their grandchildren Haydn Swan, ’22, and Anna Grace Swan, ’24, as well as their great-niece Hannah Hartman, ’23, have also kept the Golden Flash tradition going.
Other family members, including parents, siblings and their spouses are also recorded in the book: Florence Cain Beck, '26, Carolyn Wysor Beck, ’50, George Paris, ’54, Gerald Petrofes, ’58 and Kathleen Petrofes, ’61. Kathleen, Karen's sister, and Gerald Petrofes also gave an endowment to support the wrestling program at Kent State in 2006.
In 2001, the Becks decided they wanted to have a place that their family and friends could still feel connected to them long after they were gone. Given their history with the university, the Kent Campus seemed like the perfect fit. When the opportunity to endow the Brain Plaza came up, Reed said it was “a no brainer for me.” In recognition of their gift, the area surrounding the Behind the Brain Plaza was named the Beck Family Memorial Gardens.
The space has become a special gathering place over the past two decades. In 2008, their son Scott married Janice there, and it was a favorite spot for Easter egg hunts for their grandchildren as they grew up.
Reed and Karen have supported various other areas at Kent State over the past 53 years, including athletics, the Wick Poetry Center, visiting scholars, general scholarships for students and more. They also have two endowments, the Reed & Karen Beck Wick Poetry Center Fund and the Reed & Karen Beck Emergency Student Relief Fund.
“As a student here, you realize so many students struggle just to make ends meet, and that kind of sticks with you,” Karen said.
The Beck’s generosity has extended beyond their monetary gifts. They’ve also opened their home numerous times through the International Friendship Program at Kent State, where international students and scholars are paired with Kent State faculty or staff and their families to create a welcoming atmosphere where individuals can converse with and learn from each other.
“We have a very deep and sincere gratitude for how Kent State has negotiated care for all, from a diversity and acceptance perspective,” Reed said. “That is a marvelous thing, and we appreciate it.”
Just as the family’s time at Kent State has been memorialized as a part of the art installation in the Behind the Brain Plaza, the university also has become the connecting thread throughout their own history.
The generosity of donors ensures students can succeed during their time at Kent State. To make a gift now or explore funds that benefit student scholarships, academic programs and more, visit our giving portal.
