BYU alumni, students and faculty gathered together in the Brimhall Atrium Thursday afternoon, March 9, 2006, to celebrate the life of former communications chair Michael K. Perkins.

Room 370 of the Brimhall Building will now be known as the Michael K. Perkins Conference Room. Commonly referred to as the "bow-tie guy," Perkins' legacy will forever be cemented in the building he saw renovated but never completed.

"The Michael K. Perkins Conference Room will be where everything positive happens," said Newell Dayley, former dean of the Department of Fine Arts and Communications at BYU.

Perkins died in a kayaking accident in August of 2003 while on a family vacation in Idaho. While his time at BYU was brief, he initiated proposals that eventually led to renovations of the George H. Brimhall Building.

"He loved walking through this building and having a vision unfold before his eyes of what this building could look like," said Ed Adams, current department chair.

Adams presented a plaque to Perkins' wife Donnette, which mentions the naming of the Brimhall room in her husband's honor.

Donnette Perkins expressed feelings of friendship and appreciation to the communications faculty. She also read a few entries from a book students and teachers compiled after her husband's death.

"He shared his gratitude for the tremendous blessing we have at BYU," read one of the student responses. "He always took a personal interest in my career."

Perkins left Drake University, where he served as assistant dean of communications, in 1999. In 2001 he was made chair of the BYU Department of Communications.

(For comments, e-mail Christa Hunter at Christa-hunter@hotmail.com)

Copyright Brigham Young University 9 Mar 2006