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Paul and Carol House to honor their son, through a gift to the WIU Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts.
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Parents Honor Son Through WIU Goldfarb Center Gift

July 8, 2026

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This publication was written and edited by Kim McDaniel, academic advisor for the WIU College of Humanities, Arts, Sciences, and Education and a graduate student in the Theatre Arts Leadership program.

MACOMB, IL - -Paul and Carol House, like other donors to the Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, share a love of the arts. What sets them apart is how far they have to travel to see a performance there.

The Houses live in Madison, AL, just outside of Huntsville and a nine-hour drive from Macomb, IL, Western Illinois University, and the Goldfarb Center.

Neither Paul nor Carol attended or worked at WIU nor are they from the West Central Illinois area. Their ties to Macomb and the Goldfarb Center specifically are through their son Steven P House, head of Design and an associate professor in the School of Visual and Performing Arts.

"Steven told us about the plans for the Goldfarb Center when he first started working at WIU," Carol said. "We've heard him talk about it from development through the stages of things happening. Steven is so excited about it, he really feels a part of it."

One thing Steven shared with his parents was about the fundraising campaign the WIU College of Fine Arts and Communication established that gave donors the opportunity to name spaces within the new facility. When Paul and Carol learned about the donor campaign, they saw an opportunity to show their love for their son.

"When he was talking about it and getting excited about it, we talked about naming something for Steven. We wanted him to know how proud we were," Carol said.

That pride led to the decision to name the Scenic Deck in honor of Steven. As a bonus, they are also able to name another space inside the Goldfarb Center.

"When we first looked, there was a specific amount listed for the Scenic Deck so we decided to donate that amount. It turned out to be less than originally thought; we'd already made up our mind we were going to spend the original amount on the Scenic Deck, so we picked a second space to make up the difference," Carol said.

For this second space, Carol chose to name the Goldfarb Center's Conference room in honor of her mother's side of the family, the Chamberlains.

"You can talk and talk and talk, but until you see it, it doesn't have a full impact," Carol said.

Like Steven, Paul and Carol are excited about the opening of the Goldfarb Center.

"It's finally happening," Paul said with a smile.

During a visit to Macomb, they were able to take a tour of the outside of the building. They plan to return once it's open for a chance to see the inside as well.

The most important thing about the Goldfarb Center that Paul wants people to know is the importance of finally having all aspects of the arts together in one place.

"Theatre isn't just one little set," Paul said. "It is a multitude of actors, actresses, scenic design, lighting, all the other crafts that work together to a finished product. Having all of that in one building… It's one space. It's a central facility that meets all of those aspects, making it easier for students. People belong."

The Houses feel comfortable whenever they visit Macomb and WIU, citing the good feeling they have while here.

"There's a different feel at WIU than at other places," Carol said. "Some universities, you go, you study, you have wonderful professors, you learn a lot, but there isn't a lot of interaction; you don't really feel like you belong. I don't get that feeling from Western. People belong; they help each other. You run into people from WIU in town. I like it when I'm walking around there."

"There's a lot of support from the town," Paul added, citing the Rocky's on Parade throughout Macomb as one example of the collaborations between WIU and Macomb.

A sense of belonging and what it can do for someone is at the core of their gift. As Steven's parents, they've watched his skills as a scenic designer and scenic painter grow from high school into college and also during his summer jobs, crediting the teachers he's had along the way. With the opening of the Goldfarb Center, they hope the tradition of teaching, learning and love of the theatre can continue far into the future.

"We have seen him get involved in theatre and his love for theatre grew, so we wanted to do something to celebrate him. We want people to develop the love of theatre Steven has by showing what this building is doing and can do," Carol said.

For more information on The Goldfarb Center for Performing Arts, visit wiu.edu/cofac/gcpa/. For more information or to stay up to date on performances, etc., follow the center's Facebook page at
facebook.com/wiugoldfarbcenter.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing