University of North Carolina Athletics
Alumnus Loudermilk Commits $7.5 Million To Support Facilities For Student-Athletes
April 8, 2011 | Football
April 8, 2011
Alumnus Loudermilk commits $7.5 million to support facilities for student-athletes Alumnus R. Charles "Charlie" Loudermilk Sr. has made a $7.5 million commitment to fund facilities supporting University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill student-athletes as part of the Kenan Stadium renovation.
The commitment will create The Loudermilk Center for Excellence, a 150,000 square-foot facility being built on the stadium's east side. The center will serve all of Carolina's nearly 800 student-athletes across 28 sports.
"We have a long tradition of academic and athletic excellence at Carolina," said Chancellor Holden Thorp. "We aim to advance that tradition in everything we do. The Loudermilk Center for Excellence attests to that commitment. We're extremely grateful to Charlie, whose support will help ensure that our student-athletes succeed in their studies as well as their sports."
As part of the Kenan Stadium renovation project, the Loudermilk Center is scheduled for completion in September 2011. The $70 million project is being funded by private gifts and premium seating sales.
The Loudermilk Center's largest feature will be the John W. Pope Student-Athlete Academic Support Center. This 29,000 square-foot facility will provide classrooms for teaching and tutoring, advanced computer technology, a writing lab, reading rooms and office space. It also will be home to the Carolina Leadership Academy, which offers leadership training to Carolina student-athletes, coaches and staff. A $3 million gift from the Raleigh-based John William Pope Foundation is funding the academic support center.
Also housed in the Loudermilk Center will be a strength and conditioning center for Carolina's Olympic sports programs, facilities for men's lacrosse and a visitor's locker room that can be split to host high school football championships. Other features include premium seating for fans watching football games, as well as office and operations space for the department of athletics.
"The Loudermilk Center is the heart of the Kenan project and will provide for one of the nation's top academic support facilities," said Dick Baddour, athletics director. "We are extremely grateful to Charlie for his generosity. Charlie loves his University and has supported it in so many ways. He was especially close to Charlie Justice, so it is fitting that the facility named for him is located in Kenan Stadium."
Loudermilk is chairman of Atlanta-based Aaron's Inc. A 1950 UNC graduate, he earned a bachelor's degree in commerce and now serves on the Board of Visitors of UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.
"I'm thrilled to support my University and this new facility, which will make a positive difference in the lives of future Tar Heel student-athletes," Loudermilk said. "The education I received at Carolina and UNC Kenan-Flagler gave me the background for my success in the business world. I'm happy to give back to the University."
Loudermilk's past support of Carolina includes gifts to fund building space for The Rams Club, UNC's athletic booster organization, as well as $3 million to expand Kenan-Flagler's executive education facilities at the Rizzo Conference Center. His many honors include the William R. Davie Award, the highest recognition given by the UNC Board of Trustees.
Kenan Stadium renovation project link: http://NewKenan.com
