Sinclair Community College Mourns the Loss of Former Board Chair and Trustee Burnell R. Roberts

Sinclair Community College is mourning the loss of former Board Chair and Trustee Burnell R. Roberts. Mr. Roberts passed away on February 28, 2023, at the age of 95. He served on the Sinclair Board of Trustees from 1985 to 1995, three of those years as Board Chair.

“Burnell was a dedicated and passionate advocate for literacy issues, students with special needs, and the arts. He embraced Sinclair’s mission to find the need and endeavor to meet it by championing initiatives focused on student and community success,” said Dr. Steve Johnson, President – Sinclair Community College. “We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and many friends.”

As a result of his love of the arts, Mr. Roberts instituted the annual purchase of art created by Sinclair students. In 1992, his employer, Mead Corporation, established the Burnell Roberts Student Art Collection Endowment that benefits students whose art was chosen for display in the Burnell Roberts Collections. In 1994, Sinclair Community College dedicated the Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery that features, local, national, and international contemporary artists. The Burnell R. Roberts Triangle Gallery is located on the fourth floor of Building 13 at Sinclair’s Dayton campus.

Mr. Roberts generosity continued at Sinclair Community College through a scholarship he established in 2003 with his late wife, Karen. The Burnell and Karen Roberts Art and Design Scholarship supports students pursuing a degree in Art and Design. Since 2003, 187 students have benefited from the scholarship.

Photo Caption:

Burnell R. Roberts (L) with the late Doris Ponitz at the 1987 Sinclair Community College Commencement Ceremony.