Florida Atlantic University recently received its largest donation ever from the Schmidt Family Foundation amounting to $16 million.
The gift will be used to construct the school’s learning and training facility for student athletes’ academic and athletic excellence to be built near the school’s stadium. The new facility will be called the Schmidt Family Complex, named after benefactor Dick Schmidt, South Florida Business Journal reports.
This new 185,000 sq. ft. project will be erected near FAU Stadium, with its own indoor space for the school’s football team, locker rooms, hall of fame and more. “This gift will allow us to teach, mentor and develop our student athletes to their highest levels,” said FAU athletics vice-president Pat Chun. “We thank the Schmidts for this transformative gift.”
The total project cost is expected to be $45 to 50 million. The university is continuing fund-raising for the rest of the required money, as it prepares to hire the architect and planners for the project.
