Dec. 18, 2006
A gift by an Upstate philanthropist and alumna of the University of South Carolina will help fund an academic enrichment center for athletes at Carolina.
At the request of the donor, the amount of the gift is being withheld at this time.
The center will be named in honor of Dolores F. Anderson of Greer, whose philanthropy has benefited other organizations, including the Greenville Humane Society, the Girl Scouts of America, Lutheran Church of Our Saviour in Greenville, USC Upstate and others.
Anderson is the widow of Robert Anderson, the former president and chairman of Anderson Hardwood Floors, the largest privately owned hardwood floor manufacturer in the United States. A 1981 graduate of USC Upstate with a degree in interdisciplinary studies, Anderson is co-owner of Anderson Hardwood Floors and a longtime supporter of USC Upstate’s athletic programs.
The projected 35,000-square-foot center, a key component of a comprehensive master plan recently unveiled for the university’s athletics program, will provide a learning environment that will enhance athletes’ education.
Eric Hyman, USC athletics director, said Anderson’s gift is a significant contribution to the academic life of Gamecock athletes.
“This represents the largest philanthropic gift in the history of South Carolina athletics,” Hyman said. “Our purpose as an athletics department and as university administrators is to educate tomorrow’s leaders today. A gift of this magnitude for an academic-enrichment center shows that the Carolina community believes in our purpose. Because of Mrs. Anderson’s vision and magnanimous support, our student-athletes have a greater opportunity to excel in the classroom.”
The center will be located in the 41-acre area known as “the Roost,” which is being re-developed to include an athletics administration building, a sports-medicine facility, a volleyball facility, a Gamecock Club building, improvements to the tennis courts, soccer practice fields, softball stadium and outdoor track and a field for women’s lacrosse.
“We will have a first-class academic enrichment center that will attract the best and the brightest and will become a focal point for our student-athletes to share experiences and become better students and leaders,” he said.
USC President Andrew Sorensen said the gift will enable the university to fulfill its commitment to having a living-learning environment that is among the finest in the nation for all students.
“An academic center for athletes is an investment in our student-athletes’ futures. We at the University of South Carolina are dedicated to giving our athletes an education that will serve them well after their athletic careers,” Sorensen said.
With classes, travel and competitions throughout the Southeast and nation, athletes face demanding schedules and time challenges, he said.
“The center, so generously funded by Mrs. Anderson, will provide a central environment where athletes will have access to computers and other technology, tutoring centers and other programs that support their work in the classroom,” Sorensen said. “Athletic success begins with academic success.”
In the spring, 12 of the university’s 17 athletic programs posted GPAs of 3.0 or higher, marking the second consecutive semester that a dozen of the athletics programs exceeded a 3.0 GPA. The spring GPA for the 189 female student-athletes was 3.251 and 2.806 for the 265 men.
Thirty-six student-athletes were named to the President’s List, which honors students with a 4.0 GPA, and 117 student-athletes were named to the Dean’s List.
