By Emilia Benton
Many students may say casually to their classmates, “Meet me at the Axinn Library after class,” without even realizing the meaning behind the name.
From the School of Business to the Unispan, most of the University’s buildings and landmarks have unfamiliar names attached, though each name does, in fact, contribute to campus history.
A number of the buildings and landmarks are named after former University presidents, including Truesdel Peck Calkins (Calkins Hall), Howard S. Brower (Brower Hall), John Cranford Adams (Adams Playhouse), Clifford Lee Lord (the Clifford L. Lord Unispan) and James M. Shuart (Shuart Stadium).
“I am very honored that the University decided to take my name for the athletic stadium. I was able to watch the University greatly expand after I was a student there, in addition to my 45 years as an administrator,” said Shuart, who is currently retired. “One key example is Dempster Hall, the School of Communication, because before it existed, Hofstra just had a journalism department, much like any other university. Hofstra has really grown and improved over the years, and I still believe that it’s a great place to be.”
Throughout his 45 years working at the University, Shuart served as president for 25 years before being succeeded by Stuart Rabinowitz in 2001.
The Frank G. Zarb School of Business is named after an alumnus with notable post-graduation accomplishments. He is currently the chairman of Frank Zarb Associates, LLC, a consulting firm to the financial industry, and a managing director of the San Francisco branch of Hellman & Friedman, LLC, a private equity investment firm. Zarb was also the head of the NASDAQ stock market until 2001.
“My clearest memory of my experiences as a student at Hofstra University is of my classes that were held in temporary structures that required government funding, because at the time there wasn’t enough money for the kind of buildings the campus has today,” Zarb said. “It’s an honor to have the University’s School of Business named after me, although all of the buildings made a contribution to the improvement of the University, which has come a long way since I was there. The addition of the dormitories has added to the quality of the campus as well; these were not a part of the campus when I was a student there.”
One of the University’s buildings is named after a convicted felon. Joseph M. Margiotta was a Nassau County GOP chairman and a longtime assemblyman. He served two years in prison after being convicted of federal mail fraud and extortion charges.
The Joan and Donald E. Axinn Library is named after two noteworthy individuals, as well. Currently a Trustee of Brandywine Realty Trust, Mr. Axinn is the founder and chairman of the Donald E. Axinn Companies, an investment firm and developer of office and industrial parks throughout the New York metropolitan area. Previously, he was an associate dean of arts and sciences at the University.
Joan Axinn, a Hofstra alumna, has also had a successful career, which included working as a Wall Street trader and attempting to run for the 4th U.S. Congressional District seat in 1992.
“I feel honored to have the University’s libraries named after my husband and me,” said Joan Axinn. “The advancement of the campus buildings is a significant change I’ve seen since being a student at Hofstra; however, the arboretum is what comes to mind because of how it adds to the campus’s beauty.”
The names David S. and Sondra Mack appear on the Student Center, the University Club, the Arena and the public safety department building. A University alumnus, Mr. Mack is senior partner of the Mack Company developers, as well as vice chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a commissioner of the New York and New Jersey Port Authority. A longtime member of the University Board of Trustees, Mr. Mack, along with his wife, is known for being one of the University’s most generous donors.
Dorothy and Wilbur F. Breslin Hall also has a key namesake. Though not a Hofstra alum, Wilbur Breslin has had quite a successful career. Currently the president of the Breslin Realty Development Corp., he was also named one of Long Island’s 100 Most Influential Executives by the Long Island Business News four times throughout his career. He is also a trustee of the University.
“I chaired a $30 million fundraiser, which resulted in a successful $32 million achievement,” said Breslin, recalling his most memorable experience at the University. “Although I did not attend Hofstra University (they sought me out to become involved with the Board of Trustees), I thought my experience as a trustee was both exciting and enlightening, and my wife and I are honored to have an academic building named after us.”
