Dominican University to Dedicate New Cindy '82 and Kevin '79 Killips Welcome Center

Dominican University will host a dedication ceremony marking the opening of its new welcome center aimed at enhancing the prospective student experience.

The dedication of the Cindy '82 and Kevin '79 Killips Welcome Center will take place on Thursday, April 20 at 3:30 p.m. inside the main entrance of Lewis Hall.

Doors will open at 3:00 p.m. followed by the ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

The center, which was announced one year ago, will communicate Dominican University’s story and mission to prospective students and families in a comfortable, welcoming space with visuals depicting community and student success.

Genaro Balcazar, vice president of enrollment management and marketing for Dominican University, describes the space as Dominican’s “living room”—a peaceful, reflective space for prospective students to feel at ease and visually engage with the Dominican story and all the university can offer.

“We want to convey the vibrancy of our community, our history, our Catholic identity—the things that ground us in our mission and what we continue to achieve,” Balcazar said. “That’s what our living room will do.”

The materials used for the welcome center's construction reflect and highlight the historic elements of Lewis Hall, including its gothic windows. Modern features for student engagement have also been incorporated. Prospective students can immerse themselves in interactive digital displays on academic programs and alumni stories, while a living picture wall brings Dominican’s campus to life.

Families can also enjoy refreshments created by students right on campus, including Veritas Tea, which is crafted using fresh herbs grown in Dominican’s greenhouse.

Photo opportunities are embedded within meeting rooms, providing an opportunity for families to celebrate their decision to join the Dominican community. 

The welcome center is dedicated in honor of benefactors and alumni Cindy and Kevin Killips, and in service to Dominican University students, past, present and future.

“Cindy and Kevin are tireless champions of Dominican University,” said Sara Acosta, vice president of University Advancement. “From our earliest conversations about the Welcome Center to now, their focus has always been on making students and their families feel welcome and at home, so that they know that this is a place they belong. Their commitment to Dominican, and to each other, will be felt for generations to come.”

Cindy Gizzo-Killips is a 1982 graduate of Rosary College and a retired educator who completed her 36-year career at Jefferson Elementary School in Elmhurst.

Kevin Killips is a 1979 Rosary College graduate who has served on Dominican’s Board of Trustees since 2004. He was chairman of the board for six years and currently chairs the Risk Management Committee.

The couple were married in Dominican’s Rosary Chapel in 1997.

Establishing a designated Welcome Center will help Dominican achieve a “much more purposeful approach” to attracting new students and telling the university’s story, Kevin Killips said last year.

“I believe if we are going to continue to be a competitive university, we need to be able to warmly welcome our incoming students in a way that acknowledges the difference that a Dominican University education can make,” Cindy Killips said.