Bayden Sajko

Professor Emily Ivey

Eng 110c

10/22/23

The Godwin Building

The Mills Godwin building is home to the College of Science and is named after Mills E. Godwin, an old student at William and Mary and a two-term serving governor of Virginia in 1981. This building has gone through controversy due to who it was named after but it still continues to be used by students and staff because of its importance to the campus. Mills E. Godwin did many good things but his name will be forever tainted by his views during segregation.

Mills E. Godwin was born in Nansemond County on November 19, 1914. Mills E. Godwin helped with funding for ODU in multiple projects. He served two terms as a governor of Virginia. In his first term, he was a Democrat and for his second term, he was a Republican. Godwin did a lot of good things for public education, mental health, and roads like highways. During his first term, there was a lot he wanted to get done and he had a plan to do it but first, he needed funding. He got that funding and managed to raise teacher salaries. Mills E. Godwin was known as an “education governor”. Overall Mills E. Godwin did amazing things for Virginia. Everything from improving public education to public safety and just overall improving quality of life. Finding solutions to funding problems was something Godwin did often. In 1954 he helped find a resolution to a funding issue where some older members of the general assembly and some younger members disagreed. He then improved state prisons although those were just the good things he did. (Sweeney 1)

Mills E. Godwin sparked much controversy over the years. He hated the change “liberals” were having and was a huge supporter of segregation. Mills E. Godwin joined many southern politicians after segregation was deemed unconstitutional in supporting the Massive Resistance which directly opposed desegregation. He never acknowledged his wrongdoings and stuck by them for a long time never apologizing for his role in the Massive Resistance. Many students have come out to voice their disapproval over the fact that we here at ODU have a building named after this man who was so against what ODU represents. There is much diversity at ODU and knowing that Godwin would disapprove leaves a bad taste in many people’s mouths. There have been other examples of schools getting rid of the name Godwin but ODU has yet to follow suit. It has been brought up in the past to get the name changed during Brodrick’s presidency at ODU but actual actions are yet to be taken. I hope that in the future we can get the building’s name changed and honor someone who really deserves to be forever remembered by the students, faculty, and staff here at ODU. (Fort 1)

The Mills E. Godwin was used for the College of Science but was replaced by a new building after 40 years. This new building was built in an area with low flooding risk. It will be home to the College of Science and Biological Sciences. (Old Dominion University New Biology Building 1) This is good because it draws less attention to the Godwin building but a name change should also be in order to separate ourselves from that history. It’s disappointing that a man who did so much good for Virginia and the future of students had to support the groups and movements that he did. So even through all the good he did we will only remember him for the bad things.

Fort, Noah, and Pilot Online. “Opinion: ODU Should Remove Godwin’s Name from Campus Building.” Pilot, The Virginian-Pilot, 15 Feb. 2021, www.pilotonline.com/2021/02/15/opinion-odu-should-remove-godwins-name-from-campus-building/. 

Sweeney, Contributor: James R., and Contributor: the Dictionary of Virginia Biography. “Mills E. Godwin (1914–1999).” Encyclopedia Virginia, 14 Mar. 2023, encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/godwin-mills-e-1914-1999/. 

Author: sbookman on 2019-05-07. “Mills Godwin Life Sciences Building (MGB).” Old Dominion University History Wiki, sites.wp.odu.edu/oduwiki/2019/05/07/mills-godwin-life-sciences-building-mgb/#:~:text=Opened%20in%20January%20of%201981,two%2Dterm%20Governor%20of%20Virginia. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. 

“Old Dominion University New Biology Building.” VMDO Architects, www.vmdo.com/old-dominion-university-new-biology-building.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.