The Lakin Family Plaza has been established in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Lakin and their family for their outstanding contributions to education, community, and business in Arizona.

The Lakins, long-time residents and pioneers of Arizona, and proud parents and grandparents, have long valued the institutions of family, community, and education as integral components of successful societies.

Charles A. "Chuck" Lakin attended the University of Arizona (UA) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and has been involved in Arizona agriculture nearly his entire life. He pioneered the development of the complete-pellet horse feeds for which Lakin Milling Company became known. A firm believer in education and a strong supporter of youth/educational programs, Chuck Lakin has received numerous awards, among them the State of Arizona’s Distinguished Citizen Award. He was also named Agriculturalist of the Year.

Maxine Lakin graduated from UA with a degree in Business and has maintained a lifelong commitment to improving agricultural practices, education, and the environment. Besides serving as a high school teacher, she has worked in a number of business-related positions, at Standard Oil Company, for the Sacramento County Welfare Office, and for Western Airlines. She was elected to the Phoenix Union High School Board of Education and later appointed as a Commissioner on Arizona’s Environment. She has also held leadership positions on more than a dozen other boards, been recognized in Who’s Who in America, and received several awards such as the Lifetime Award from the UA/CALS and the Diana Award.

In naming of an academic program or a facility, the Lakins have joined forces with others, such as John and Doris Norton, Norman and Frances McClelland, and Terry J. Lundgren, who have lent their names to programs in the School, and whose legacy as UA alumni and business leaders will be permanently recognized by future generations of students and faculty members.

About Lakin Family Plaza

Central to the Norton School’s history and mission is the goal of helping children and families achieve optimal development. In the new building’s design, we have found a way to highlight that mission and the work of the Norton School’s Institute for Children, Youth and Families and the Family Studies and Human Development Division: the Family Plaza. This tree-shaded, open plaza will be the first on the UA campus—and one of the first in the country—to symbolize the importance of families and children and family studies. The plaza will be a permanent and beautiful reminder, in a high-profile location on the UA campus, of the importance of family. As a dedicated space devoted to honoring children and families, the plaza will bring attention to the value they bring and the issues they face in our society. It will also signify the necessity of studying child and human development and family relations, so that society and families have the information they need to improve the lives of children and strengthen relationships.

As a green space on a desert campus, the Lakin Family Plaza will form a perfect oasis for informal student gatherings, study groups, and play for visiting children using services or involved in research at the Norton School; it will also double as an attractive outdoor venue for events.

Because Tucson is the sunniest city in America with more than 300 bright, clear days each year, the plaza is sure to experience tremendous use by faculty, staff, students, as well as members of the public. Once the Family Plaza has been named, alumni and friends will be invited to designate components of the plaza (its benches, tiles, and trees) in honor of family members or respected associates.

Contact Soyeon Shim, Director, Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences shim@cals.arizona.edu (520) 520.621.7147
cals.arizona.edu/fcs