Generous donation to Mercyhurst presidents

Erin Almeter, Staff writer

A generous gift has been made to serve as the Presidential Residence for Mercyhurst University.

Bruce and Nancy Kern recently decided to donate their brick Tudor-style family home to President Michael T. Victor and future presidents of Mercyhurst.

The house’s beautiful and unique style can clearly be seen from its location at 3906 State St.

It is truly a sight to behold, with its 4,295 square feet of spacious rooms, hardwood floors and ornate black walnut woodwork. Mercyhurst University and its presidents will have no problem using the house to its full potential.

President Victor has decided not to move from his family home in Millcreek to this new residence. However, it will provide a space to host alumni, welcome new students, entertain special visitors to Mercyhurst and hold faculty gatherings. The new residence will become a social and cultural center. It will also be home to future Mercyhurst presidents.

The Kerns have been part of the Mercyhurst community for a long time, as one of their three children is currently on the board of trustees.

According to a press release by Mercyhurst University, as the Kerns were deciding to move from their home of 30 years, they expressed the want to have it in the possession of someone who could “truly realize the house’s potential, appreciate the architectural integrity and take care of it to the best of their abilities.”

In a press release from Mercyhurst, Nancy Kern said that “the house is a natural fit for Mercyhurst (as) it looks like it could be sitting right on campus and not be out of place.”

The Kerns truly believe that they are putting it in good hands.

The Kern family has lived there for three decades, and so they hope to have the spirit live on.

The house is described as being ideal for entertaining, as it was often the go-to for holiday gatherings for the Kern family and all-occasion parties for friends.

President Victor expressed his gratitude to the Kern family for their generosity.

As he explained in a press release from Mercyhurst, “A presidential home is so much more than bricks and mortar. It is as much a welcoming retreat for a fireside chat with students as it is a warm and inviting place to entertain many guests at a holiday party.”

There are many possibilities to be explored, Victor said.

Improvements have already been undergone for this prominent house. The outside trim was painted in a rich brown and cream combination to reflect the Tudor style. The hope is to freshly paint the interior walls and install a mural-scene wallpaper in the dining room.

There is a hope that the work for the first floor will be done for the university’s board of trustees opening event in February.