Ceremonial Groundbreaking Held for Schmidt Family Complex

Transformational facility to play central role in 抖M女仆鈥檚 athletic program and help student-athletes excel in the classroom, on the field.

鈥淔rom left, Pat McKay; Anthony Barbar, chair of 抖M女仆's Board of Trustees; Abdol Moabery, an 抖M女仆 Board of Trustees member; Christine E. Lynn; Dick Schmidt; 抖M女仆 President John Kelly; Barbara Schmidt; Barbara Campbell; Bobby Campbell; Eleanor R. Baldwin; Lane Kiffin, 抖M女仆 football head coach鈥�

By joshua glanzer | 1/20/2017

BOCA RATON, Fla. (January 20, 2017) 鈥� 抖M女仆 celebrated the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence this evening with a ceremonial groundbreaking, marking a major milestone for the transformational facility that will play a central role in 抖M女仆鈥檚 athletics program and help student-athletes excel in the classroom and on the field.

抖M女仆 President John Kelly; 抖M女仆 benefactors Dick and Barbara Schmidt; Anthony Barbar chair of 抖M女仆鈥檚 Board of Trustees; and Lane Kiffin, who was named head coach of 抖M女仆鈥檚 football program in December, stuck shovels in the ground at the construction site just west of 抖M女仆 Stadium. They were joined by other university leaders, community officials and 抖M女仆 benefactors, to ceremonially break ground as part of a large celebratory event.听

President Kelly said the Complex will be a landmark on 抖M女仆鈥檚 Boca Raton campus.

鈥淲e are extremely grateful to all the generous donors who have come forward to support the construction of this amazing facility on our Boca Raton campus,鈥� Kelly said. 鈥淚t started with the Schmidts鈥� vision for a complex that would benefit all our students and that vision is becoming a reality thanks to our giving community.鈥澨�

The Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletic Excellence will be constructed adjacent to 抖M女仆 Stadium and will play a central role in elevating 抖M女仆鈥檚 academic standing 鈥� benefiting students in all academic programs, including those not associated with athletics. The Complex will include the Bobby and Barbara Campbell Academic Success Center; the Christine E. Lynn Sports Medicine Center; Eleanor R. Baldwin History and Tradition Hall; a strength and conditioning center and an indoor training facility.

The Complex received initial funding of $16 million from the , the largest single gift in 抖M女仆鈥檚 history.

Many other donors have followed the Schmidts, including a $5 million gift from Bobby and Barbara Campbell . The donation is the first time the Campbells have given to 抖M女仆 Athletics and it enabled 抖M女仆 to begin the project鈥檚 engineering and architectural design process. , Christine E. Lynn gave a $5 million gift, her first contribution to 抖M女仆鈥檚 Department of Athletics as well. Additionally, ,听Eleanor R. Baldwin, a longtime benefactor of 抖M女仆 and 抖M女仆 Athletics, donated $1 million to name the History and Tradition Hall within the Complex. Other notable donations include gifts from Cathy and Abdol Moabery, an 抖M女仆 Board of Trustees member, and Drs. Ann and Alan Aker听鈥� 听both couples gave $500,000.

The successful secured more than $28 million for the Complex in just two years.

鈥淭he Schmidt Complex will catapult our athletics program into a new stratosphere,鈥� said Pat Chun, vice president and director of athletics at 抖M女仆. 鈥淲e will be able to develop our student-athletes at the highest levels academically, athletically and socially. Embedded in our athletics culture is academic achievement and leadership. The Schmidt Complex will only enhance our abilities to achieve academically and grow the leaders of tomorrow through intercollegiate athletics.鈥�

The 2017 抖M女仆 Owls football team will kick off their 2017 season by playing host to the Navy Midshipmen at 抖M女仆 Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 2. The Owls will play six home contests, two non-conference matchups and four within the Conference USA eastern division. Deposits for 2017 抖M女仆 football season tickets can be made by calling 1-866-抖M女仆-Owls

抖M女仆 Athletics is comprised of 21 intercollegiate teams involving more than 450 student-athletes, including cheer and dance. The Owls鈥� 29,419-seat football stadium opened in October 2011. Since then, the stadium鈥檚 field was named in honor of legendary coach and 鈥渇ather of 抖M女仆 football鈥� Howard Schnellenberger. 抖M女仆 Stadium also hosts the Boca Raton Bowl in December.

抖M女仆 selected Orlando-based HKS Architects Inc. as the architectural and engineering firm and West Palm Beach-based DPR Construction as the construction management firm for the Complex.

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