On Tuesday, UNC announced the single largest gift ever for the Kenan-Flagler Business School: a $11 million philanthropic commitment to support a new building for the school that will allow it to grow undergraduate business programs by at least 50 percent.

The gift was made by longtime UNC supporter Steve Bell (’67) and his wife, Jackie Bell.

“The gift from Steve and Jackie Bell is an investment in our students and our state,” wrote UNC Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. “Their leadership, vision and generous support enables [Kenan-Flagler] to continue fulfilling its mission to provide an outstanding business education to Carolina’s students.”

The Bells’ gift counts towards “For All Kind: the Campaign for Carolina,” which has a goal to raise $4.25 billion by December 2022.

“There is never enough money to address all of the needs in our state, and this is even more true in the current economic downturn, but now is the time to plan for our future,” Steve Bell said. “A building expansion is needed now, not 15 to 20 years down the road.”

Bell’s gift builds on an initial $1 million investment from the state’s General Assembly in 2017 to support the selection of a design team and the start of building programming and design for the capital project. In addition to the state’s investment, the project received an additional $10 million commitment for private funding from another Kenan-Flagler donor.

Bell has served on the Kenan-Flagler board of advisors, helped create the Steven D. Bell and Leonard W. Wood Distinguished Professorship in Real Estate, and supported the Leonard W. Wood Center for Real Estate Studies and the Family Enterprise Center. He also supported the expansion of the Rizzo Center, where UNC Kenan-Flagler prepares business people and organizations around the world to meet the challenges ahead.

“This is my most meaningful gift to our great state,” said Bell. “I love our Tar Heel state, and I am proud to help Carolina with a gift that will make North Carolina better, make the economy better and make how we live better.”

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