University of Richmond receives $25M gift for student support center

(Courtesy UR)

The University of Richmond Wednesday announced the receipt of its second-largest gift ever – a $25-million donation from two of its most notable benefactors that will support the creation of an academic support center for students.

UR alumni Carole and Marcus Weinstein are making the gift to fund the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Learning Center, which will be located in Boatwright Memorial Library on campus.

The gift is second only to the $50-million contribution made in 1969 by 1931 alumnus E. Claiborne Robins, which fundamentally altered the course of the university by elevating it in a number of ways.

The Weinsteins’ gift will enable the university to create a collaborative, state-of-the-art center that co-locates, integrates, and expands services that support academic achievement for students, including effective speaking, writing, and peer tutoring. The new center also will include advanced quantitative support and other resources for students, officials said.

“We are excited by the way the University’s Boatwright Library will accommodate the next generation of students,” the Weinstein said in a statement. “We remember spending hours poring over the library’s card catalog to do further research for papers we were writing. The new Learning Center will use the library’s centralized space to offer cutting-edge practices and support new skills students need now and into the future.”

Among numerous contributions to campus, the Weinstein family’s gifts have supported scholarships, faculty chairs, international education, well-being, and chaplaincy programs, as well as the creation of the Carole Weinstein International Center, the Weinstein Center for Recreation, and Weinstein Hall. Marcus Weinstein recently received the Paragon Medal, the university’s highest honor, in recognition of his decades of support for students and the university’s academic mission.

“We are deeply grateful to the Weinsteins for their steadfast support,” said University of Richmond President Kevin F. Hallock. “They continually lead by example in showing the transformative power of philanthropy at UR.”

“Our family and faith have encouraged us to make the world a better place,” the Weinsteins said. “We hope others will be inspired by our example to make a difference in whatever way they can. The happy surprise is that not only will they do good, but it will also make them feel good.”

“The commitment and dedication of generations of Spiders have helped to make UR what it is today,” said UR Vice President for Advancement Martha E. Callaghan. “This important milestone in our upward trajectory amplifies our academic excellence and helps ensure our students thrive in and outside of the classroom.”

The planning process for the new center is underway.

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