A $21 million gift from the Curtis Foundation to UNC includes the largest ever contribution to the university’s School of Media and Journalism.

From the gift, $8 million will go to the construction of the Curtis Media Center, a “flexible,” learning space that emphasizes collaboration between students and staff while making available the latest technology, according to a release from the university.

The building plans are yet to be approved by the UNC – Chapel Hill Board of Trustees, and the site has yet to be finalized, but a UNC press release estimated the project will be completed in the next four years.

Don Curtis is a UNC alumnus and chairman and CEO of the Curtis Media Group, which operates over 30 FM and AM band radio stations in North Carolina.

The gift will also provide $2 million for the Don and Barbara Curtis Excellence Fund for Extracurricular Activities, which supports media and journalism students seeking learning experiences outside of the classroom. In the 2017-18 academic year, 43 students used the fund, according to university officials.

Additionally, the School of Medicine and Athletics Department will receive $3 million each from the overall gift and more than $5 million is being given to the university for “future endeavors to be determined at a later time.”

This gift supports UNC’s For All Kind: the Campaign for Carolina fundraising campaign. In 2017, Carolina announced its goal to raise $4.25 billion by 2023. This year saw a record breaking year in commitments, with 617 million dollars raised.

Photo By Jeyhoun Allebaugh/UNC-Chapel Hill

Related Stories
‹
How OWASA's Reclaimed Water System Extends the Lifespan of Local Water Sources
Built 17 years ago to improve the community’s drinking water resilience, it has saved the county billions of gallons of drinking water. 
The Morning News: Mark Chilton Retiring, UNC Returning
In today's news: longtime Orange County Register of Deeds Mark Chilton announces he's stepping down, a few months before the end of his term.
Merritt's Grill Opening Second Location in Chapel Hill; Einstein Bros. Bagels Opening First
Merritt’s Grill, whose BLT sandwiches have been a staple of the Chapel Hill culinary scene since the restaurant opened in 1992, is opening a second location at Finley Golf Club. The restaurant will provide dine-in, to-go and catering services inside the newly refurbished Finley clubhouse and will be open to both players and non-players. An […]
The Morning News: Legion Road, ArtsOrange, Jason Johnson, Bill Belichick
In today's news: Chapel Hill provides an update on the future of its 36-acre property on Legion Road, with a pond slated for removal.
PlayMakers' Summer Youth Conservatory Celebrates 20 Years with Run of 'Hello, Dolly!'
This year marks 20 years of Chapel Hill’s Summer Youth Conservatory, offered through PlayMakers Repertory Company.
Carolina Performing Arts Unveils Multi-Day Performance Festival for 'Campus and Downtown'
The Carolina Performing Arts festival, called “All. Together. Now.”, is set to debut Feb. 18-21, 2027 and take place every year.
UNC Reports More Than $17 Million in Direct Economic Impact from Savannah Bananas Visit
According to a release from UNC, the recent visit from the Savannah Bananas to Chapel Hill generated an estimated $17.1 million.
A Place to Connect and Heal: UNC Holds Annual Community Walk for Suicide Prevention
On Saturday, community members and college students alike met on UNC’s campus for a mile-long walk to destigmatize suicide prevention.
'Together is The Only Path Forward': Orange County's Habitat for Humanity Hosts Affordable Housing Summit
Amid a shortage of affordable housing – both locally and nationally – the Orange County chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently held a summit to discuss how leaders can collectively aim to better address the issue.
Chapel Hill Alerts Residents To Upcoming S. Columbia Road Closure
The Town of Chapel Hill announced that a section of S. Columbia St. will be closed as UNC conducts maintenance on its steam tunnel system.
›