A monument to love: Swem Library debuts renovated theater named after alumna

The new Glenna Bowman MacKenzie Theater will open in December 2025.

Swem Library is where the love between Earle '74 and Glenna MacKenzie '74 bloomed. (Courtesy photo)

The following story originally appeared on the website for W&M Libraries. - Ed.

William & Mary plays a part in many alumni love stories. According to campus lore, if you kiss at the top of the Crim Dell bridge, you'll be together for life. For Earle '74 and Glenna MacKenzie '74, Swem Library is where their love bloomed.

"Glenna and I met here at William & Mary, so it's a very important place to us," said Earle MacKenzie. "We started dating our sophomore year, and we spent almost every day together, studying on the second floor of Swem."

Though she was dating his roommate when they first met, Earle convinced her to go on a date with him, and they were soon inseparable. In July 1974, just six weeks after graduation, Earle and Glenna married, and they remained happily married for close to 49 years.

After Glenna passed away in January 2023, Earle decided he wanted to do something special in her memory. He met with John Hunter, the library's senior development director, to explore ideas.

"John and Carrie (dean of university libraries) gave me a tour of the library and showed me the theater. After the visit, on my way home, it hit me that the theater would be the right place for me to make a gift because the library holds special memories," said MacKenzie.

The theater, located on the ground floor of Swem Library, is original to the building, and remains largely untouched since its construction in the mid-1960s. This space has been out of use for many years due to its lack of accessibility and outdated technology. The theater has been on the library's "wish list" for renovations for quite some time.

Shortly after choosing to support the theater renovation with a generous donation, Earle happened upon an old scrapbook that Glenna had made during their college years.

"One of the things I found was she had made a two-page spread in the scrapbook about Swem Library because we spent so much time there," said MacKenzie. "In the spread, she had written, 'Maybe one day they'll erect a monument to us.' I knew then that I had made the right decision."

Thanks to Earle's donation, the theater renovation project began in the spring, and the new Glenna Bowman MacKenzie Theater will open in December 2025. A private dedication event will be held in January 2026 for the MacKenzie family and friends.

"I'm excited about giving new life to the theater," said Earle. "I'm also very excited to see Glenna's name on the theater."

The renovated space will feature comfortable seating for approximately 70 people, accessible access, improved lighting, and top-notch technology for screening films, recording lectures, and live streaming events.

"A deep dive on classroom space during the comprehensive planning process revealed that learning spaces for 50-100 people are at a deficit, as are spaces meant for watching films and broadcasting speakers. The Glenna Bowman MacKenzie Theater is meeting our needs and expands availability for hosting community events that celebrate the research being produced at William & Mary," said Carrie Cooper, dean of university libraries.

Tami Back, William & Mary Libraries

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