Dr. Carl Clay, BSME ‘60, Hon. D. ‘92 and H. Jane Clay have made a multi-million dollar gift to name the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Ohio Northern University, continuing their legacy of support and commitment to educational excellence.
A ceremony with the Clays will be held at a later date to dedicate the newly named Dr. Carl D. Clay and H. Jane Clay Department of Mechanical Engineering and celebrate the endowed fund’s establishment.
“Over the years, the Clays have been pivotal to helping our College of Engineering become one of the best in the nation,” says President Daniel DiBiasio. “Their continued support means a great deal to ONU, particularly to our students, so many of whom follow in Dr. Clay’s footsteps by becoming successful engineers themselves.”
“Carl and Jane have been long-time, generous supporters of ONU,” says J-D Yoder, Dean of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering. “Their latest gift will have a significant impact in making our Mechanical Engineering Department even stronger for generations to come. I am grateful for all they have done for ONU and the College of Engineering, and it is a true pleasure to be able to name the department in honor of Dr. Carl and Mrs. Jane Clay.”
Yoder said the Clays’ transformational gift will allow the department to address needs such as new equipment and software purchases, support faculty and students engaged with summer projects, bring insightful speakers to campus and more.
The couple’s support will further enhance a department that is already ranked as one of the top 20 in the country. Students enjoy a 100% placement rate in co-op opportunities at prestigious corporations such as Battelle Memorial Institute, Borg Warner Turbo Systems, Honda and others. For the past five years, an average of 95% of mechanical engineering majors found a full-time engineering job or enrolled in graduate school within six months of graduation.
Carl Clay, a native of Quincy, Ohio, enjoyed a 33-year engineering and management career at Marathon Petroleum Corporation, rising through the ranks to hold several leadership positions. He began as an Associate Engineer in Findlay at Marathon in 1961. A decade later, he was promoted to Manager Engineering for Marathon’s Transportation organization. In 1977, Clay became Western Division Manager for Marathon Pipe Line, located in Casper, Wyoming. In then eighties, he became Vice President for Marathon Pipe Line Company and then President of Marathon Pipe Line Company. In 1990, Clay assumed the role of Director of Transportation and Logistics for Marathon Petroleum Company (which included all of Marathon Pipe Line), and served in this role until his retirement in 1994.
While at Marathon, Clay attended the MIT Sloan Business School. In 1986 he joined Ohio Northern’s Board of Trustees, where he served as an active trustee until 2006. After retiring from Marathon in 1994, Clay moved to Texas and worked as an industry consultant.
Clay's education at ONU was put on hold for two years while he served the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. After his discharge, Carl met his future wife Jane. They married two weeks before classes began in 1956. With the G.I. Bill, and Jane’s encouragement and financial support (on her teacher’s salary), he was able to return to campus and earn his degree in May 1960. Jane supported Carl, not only through his college years, and later raising two children, but also in putting her professional aspirations secondary to enable Carl’s career progression.
“My career with Marathon would not have been possible without Jane by my side. I am indebted to her for her support all these years,” says Clay.
Over the years, the Clays have helped to purchase engineering equipment and software, enabling ONU’s students to learn and innovate with cutting-edge technology. They were also early donors to the campaign to build the James Lehr Kennedy Engineering Building, which opened in fall 2019. Dr. Clay is a Life Trustee at ONU and was a key influencer in the University’s decision to undertake the Campaign for Engineering. He and his wife are lifetime members of the Henry Solomon Lehr Society, which recognizes top donors to the University.
“The Clays are special people who believe in giving back to help students achieve their dreams through access to state-of-the-art facilities and programs,” says Vice President for Advancement Shannon Spencer. “We are so thankful for their continued investment in Ohio Northern.”
