Methodist University Announces Two Major Gifts

Methodist University is pleased to announce two recent major gifts to the Campaign for Methodist University – Building Excellence.

Margaret Ann Player and her family have made a gift of $100,000 to name the Ensemble Rehearsal Room in the Sharon and Ron Matthews Ministry Center in memory of her late husband Richard Player Jr. Mr. Player, who passed away in 2015, served as a trustee of the university for 16 years and built many of the buildings on campus through his company Player, Inc. Mrs. Player is a founding member of the university’s Friends of Music group and of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Mr. and Mrs. Player were awarded the University Medallion in 2014 for their long and distinguished service to Methodist University. 

“I am pleased to give this gift in memory of my husband and to fund a project that will help support the students and the music program at Methodist,” said Margaret Ann Player. “This new facility will benefit the campus and the entire community through music.”

Richard Player III, a graduate of the Class of 1991, stated “I’m happy that our family has made this gift in honor of my mother and father. It’s good to give back to my alma mater and to the community where we live and do business.”

Alumnus Jurgen Stanley and his wife Dee Dee have made a $100,000 gift to name the conference room in the Matthews Ministry Center in their honor. Stanley, a graduate of the Class of 1977, is the owner of J&S Holdings. Mr. Stanley was named the Alumni Business Person of the Year in 1998 by the university’s Reeves School of Business.

“Methodist University provided me with the foundation I needed to become successful in business,” said Jurgen Stanley. “It was the place where I began to fulfill my goals and dreams. For that I am very grateful and happy to give back.”

“These two significant gifts are the most recent examples of contributions built on relationships that span decades,” said university president Ben Hancock. “Methodist University is fortunate to have friends and alumni who are appreciative of the university’s role in the community and in shaping their personal lives, thus leading to their commitment to serving others.”

The Campaign for Methodist University – Building Excellence is the largest fundraising initiative in Methodist University’s history. It will fund scholarships, endowed faculty positions, academic programs, campus life enhancements, new and renovated academic buildings, and expanded athletic facilities. Numerous naming opportunities are available within each of the facilities as well as named endowment opportunities. The capital projects in the campaign include:

  • The Thomas R. McLean Health Sciences Building
  • John M. Reeves Fine Arts Building Renovation
  • Sharon and Ron Matthews Ministry Center
  • Linda and Ralph Huff Concert Hall
  • Student Union and Berns Center Renovation and Expansion
  • Improved athletic facilities, including golf, baseball, softball, soccer, football, track and field, and lacrosse

For more information on the Campaign for Methodist University, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 910.630.7200.

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