The Center for Student Leadership and Service will be revamped and have a new namesake, because of a $1 million donation.

Keith Key, Ohio State Foundation board director, alumnus, former football player and owner of Keith B. Key Enterprises, a real estate development service provider based in Columbus, donated $1 million to the Office of Student Life.

The money will go toward creating a new Center for Student Leadership and Service in the Ohio Union to be renamed after Key. The center will work to provide leadership training and opportunities for students.

“His generous gift will enhance and increase opportunities for student involvement,” said Javaune Adams-Gaston, vice president for student life, in a press release Monday.

Key said in the press release that he donated the money because he wanted to give back to his community.

“It’s always been important to my wife, Donica, and to me, to give back and find creative ways to support the community,” Key said. “We want to leave a path that others can follow and help to remove barriers along the way. This center will have fulfilled its purpose when students carry forth the lessons they learned here and use their intellectual talents in an economically productive and socially responsible way.”

Key said that when he was a student, athlete and member of the Greek community at OSU, there was no organized way of dealing with such organizations. This issue was extra motivation for his donation.

“While things have definitely changed for the better, we want to do our part to help ensure students have support for volunteer and entrepreneurial opportunities and graduate from The Ohio State University well-prepared for leadership roles in society,” Key said in the press release.

Key said he sees leadership as a necessary part of college.

“It’s critically important to help young people embrace their leadership abilities so that they can go on to become valuable members of our communities,” Key said in the press release.

The Center is home to student governments, sorority and fraternity governing councils and student organization offices, to name a few. It also has a leadership library, a resource room for student organizations and a student lounge.