Georgia Southern gets record $5 million donation
Georgia Southern University has received its largest donation ever, $5 million from a local business leader that will be used for its business college.
The state’s Board of Regents on Tuesday approved the name of the Gregory M. Parker College of Business at Georgia Southern University after the donor, the founder and CEO of Savannah-based Parker Companies.
The money will be used to create the Parker Business Scholars Program, the Parker Business Scholarship Fund and the Parker Faculty Support Fund, officials said. The Scholarship Program, which will start next fall, will provide personalized professional development to some business students. The Support Fund will be used to assist faculty research.
“By making this gift to the College of Business at Georgia Southern University, I hope to make a lasting impact on the business community in coastal Georgia,” Parker said in a statement. “I truly believe in education’s power to transform lives and have a strong commitment to giving back to the community.”
Parker’s has 54 retail stores throughout southeast Georgia and South Carolina.
Georgia Southern, with 26,500 students, has the largest enrollment of any university in South Georgia.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
