UR alums and longtime generous benefactors Carole and Marcus Weinstein will donate $25 million to the University of Richmond to support a center focused on student learning. This is the second largest single gift in the University’s history. The Carole and Marcus Weinstein Learning Center will be located in Boatwright Memorial Library, and the planning process is underway.

“We are excited by the way the University’s Boatwright Library will accommodate the next generation of students,” said Carole Weinstein. “Marcus and I remember spending hours poring over the library’s card catalog to do further research for papers we were writing. The new Learning Center will use the library’s centralized space to offer cutting-edge practices and support new skills students need now and into the future.”

This gift will enable the University to create a collaborative, state-of-the-art center that co-locates, integrates, and expands services that support academic achievement for students, including effective speaking, writing, and peer tutoring. The center will also include advanced quantitative support and other resources for students in every stage of their educational journey.

“We are deeply grateful to the Weinsteins for their steadfast support,” said University of Richmond President Kevin F. Hallock. “They continually lead by example in showing the transformative power of philanthropy at UR.”

“Our family and faith have encouraged us to make the world a better place,” said Marcus Weinstein. “We hope others will be inspired by our example to make a difference in whatever way they can. The happy surprise is that not only will they do good, but it will also make them feel good.”

Among numerous contributions to campus, the Weinstein family’s gifts have supported scholarships, faculty chairs, international education, well-being, and chaplaincy programs, as well as the creation of the Carole Weinstein International Center, the Weinstein Center for Recreation, and Weinstein Hall. Marcus Weinstein recently received the Paragon Medal, the University’s highest honor, in recognition of his decades of support for students and the University’s academic mission.

“The commitment and dedication of generations of Spiders have helped to make UR what it is today,” said Martha E. Callaghan, vice president for Advancement. “This important milestone in our upward trajectory amplifies our academic excellence and helps ensure our students thrive in and outside of the classroom.”