STORRS, Connecticut — A state-of-the-art student-athlete center at the University of Connecticut (UConn) has been aided by a historic gift by an alumn.
UConn announced Friday that Dr. Trisha M. Baily, who graduated from the university in 1999, has committed a "significant lead gift" towards the construction of the center.
According to the school, the gift was the largest cash contribution ever received from a UConn alumnus and specifically, the largest gift dedicated to UConn Athletics. The exact amount was not disclosed.
“Trisha Bailey is an American success story that has its roots in the classroom and in competition at UConn,” said David Benedict, Director of Athletics. “She is the ideal model for our student-athletes to aspire to become champions in all they pursue well after their playing days are over."
He continued: "Her unprecedented and transformational generosity will dramatically elevate the academic, nutrition, and mental wellness needs for all of our more than 600 student-athletes, it also will provide a new home to six of our Olympic sports – five of which are women’s programs."
Due to the gift, the institutional advancement committee of the UConn Board of Trustees recommended naming the facility the Bailey Student Athlete Success Center. The name is pending approval by the full board on October 26.
“On this 50th anniversary year of Title IX, it is an honor to have Trisha’s name on this world-class new facility as an enduring legacy for generations to come,” Benedict said.
The center involves an 80,000-square-foot renovation and expansion of the university's former recreation center and areas within the existing Hugh S. Greer Field House.
Housing an academic center, clinical space for sports medicine and mental health services, kinesiology teaching space, a rowing practice tank, strength and conditioning apparatus, a communal kitchen and nutrition area, and multipurpose training and meeting spaces, the project – the center aims at providing student-athletes the resources they need to succeed.
In addition, new locker rooms and team officers will be constructed for UConn's field hockey, rowing, swimming, tennis, and both men's and women's track & field. The National C Club, a networking organization to help connect UConn athletes with opportunities and other former students, will also be housed there.
Bailey, a native Jamaican who was raised in East Hartford, was a student-athlete and a graduate of UConn's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. She also holds an MBA and Ph.D. in organizational leadership.
“It’s not so much the journey that I found to be most important,” said Bailey. “It’s the way I treated those along the way that mattered the most, and when I look at the beginning of it all, UConn was right there.”
After college, Bailey started several companies including Bailey's Pharmacy, Bailey's Medical Equipment and Supplies, Bailey's Scrubs, and Bailey's Real Estate among others.
“Trisha is a real-world example of how philanthropists can be transformative in the lives of people,” said Jake Lemon, President of the UConn Foundation. “This gift will have an incredible impact on student-athletes both now and for many years to come. Simply put, we cannot say thank you enough.”
“The Board of Trustees’ Committee on Institutional Advancement enthusiastically accepted the recommendation to honor Trisha Bailey with the naming of this amazing facility being planned,” added Andrea Dennis-LaVigne, UConn Trustee and committee chairperson.
Dennis-LaVigne said not only would Bailey's generosity help future generations of Huskies in all aspects of campus life but also stand as an example of passion and commitment UConn alumni feel toward their alma mater.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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