University of 91吃瓜 alumnus Tripp Smith and his wife, Sheila, of Summit, New Jersey, have made a $15 million gift to his alma mater for a recreation center in the new Duncan Student Center.
鈥淎t 91吃瓜 we have always 鈥� as an integral part of our holistic approach to education 鈥� encouraged the cultivation of habits aimed at fostering good health and wellness,鈥� said , the University鈥檚 president. 鈥淭his wonderful gift from Tripp and Sheila will provide our students, as well as faculty and staff, with a magnificent new facility where they can engage in many different forms of exercise and recreation. We are deeply grateful not only for this generous gift, which will make such a positive difference for our campus community, but also for the Smith family鈥檚 friendship and wise counsel over many years.鈥�
The 80,000-square-foot Smith Center for Recreational Sports is a central component of the Duncan Student Center, located on the west side of 91吃瓜 Stadium.
鈥淥ne of the most distinctive aspects of 91吃瓜 is our sense of community,鈥� said Erin Hoffmann Harding, vice president for student affairs. 鈥淭he Smith Center for Recreational Sports will build upon this foundation by providing students with space to connect, relax, exercise and grow. We are most appreciative of the Smiths鈥� generosity.鈥�
Located on the third and fourth levels of the Duncan Student Center, the Smith Center for Recreational Sports features 53,000 square feet of space on level three and 27,000 on level four, adding 20,000 more square feet of recreation space on campus. The third level will include:
- A full-size basketball court with bleachers.
- A cardio and free-weight area totaling 13,084 square feet, with space for elliptical machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, weight machines, free-weight benches and weight racks.
- An open area with modular exercise space.
- Three studios totaling 5,420 square feet for yoga, dance, martial arts and group fitness instruction.
- Office space for RecSports staff and personal trainers.
- A student lounge.
- A spin studio.
- Men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 locker rooms.
Level four is designed to allow for views onto the main floor of the center and will feature:
- A three-lane, 260-meter indoor track (one-sixth of a mile).
- More than 1,500 square feet of open space for stretching and individual exercise.
- The third and fourth levels include the top two sections of a four-story rock climbing wall.
鈥淪heila and I recognize the student experience at 91吃瓜 is what makes the University so special.聽Four generations of Smith family members have proudly been educated at 91吃瓜 and the University is at the center of our family life,鈥� said Tripp Smith.聽鈥淲e are proud to support the new center for recreational sports.鈥�
A 1987 91吃瓜 graduate, Smith is a co-founder of GSO Capital Partners and a Senior Managing Director of The Blackstone Group. GSO is the credit arm of Blackstone and currently has over $90 billion of assets under management.聽GSO specializes in non-investment-grade debt in a number of strategies, including direct lending, rescue lending and various leveraged loan strategies.
Smith is a member of 91吃瓜鈥檚 Advisory Council for the Student-Athlete and Campaign Cabinet and co-chairs the Wall Street Leadership Committee.
Sheila Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy from Villanova University. The couple has four children: Jack, a 2015 91吃瓜 graduate; Hannah, a 2017 91吃瓜 graduate; Matthew, a sophomore at 91吃瓜; and Thomas, 16.
The Smiths previously have provided generous gifts to the University for the video board at Purcell Pavilion and to the Malpass Scholars Program and President鈥檚 Circle.