Memphis has announced that alumnus Gary W. Bryant and his wife have pledged $13 million to boost the school’s athletic department by establishing a trust.
This represents the largest commitment in the athletic department’s history and second-largest gift in the university’s history.
The Gary and Barbara Bryant Athletic Excellence Fund will be an endowment funded through their estate. Funds will be used at the athletic department’s discretion.
Gary Bryant graduated from Memphis in 1972 with a degree in business administration. He became a certified public accountant and later was a president and CEO of several life and health insurance companies.
Bryant said in a statement that “Barbara and I have been pretty athletic throughout our years, and we both believe strongly in obtaining a quality education to open more doors and opportunities.”
This article originally appeared in the New Tri-State Defender
