A major grant from the Renner Foundation, matched by alumni gifts, made possible in 1970 the complete remodeling of Bethany House, which had been built in 1948. An earlier Bethany House stood on this site from 1842 to 1932 and welcomed notable guests including Henry Clay and James A. Garfield. Champ Clar, a famous Speaker of the House of Representatives, waited on tables here while attending college. The house served as a home away from home and a unifying force in campus life.