Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation Commit to Major Investment in Bowie State University
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Posted By: Sofía Montiel on January 31, 2023 Prince George’s County native Kevin Durant and the Durant Family Foundation committed $500,000 toward the Bowie State University Athletics Department’s transformation of the university’s main basketball gym and its athletic programs. The $500,000 the foundation committed will go toward renovations of the historically Black university's basketball arena in the Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex. The renovations include the installation of a new basketball court, expansion of seating capacity and upgrades to the press box area. The funding will also establish a scholarship for the Durant Center College Track’s Bowie State students and provide financial support for men’s and women’s basketball and university athletics programs. Wanda Durant, Kevin Durant’s mother and the Durant Family Foundation lead, said “We are dedicated to providing resources and possibilities to students for higher education, especially in Prince George’s County. Bowie State was the perfect place to make a meaningful impact.” Bowie State President Aminta Breaux said, “We’re grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his family foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University to advance students’ success in achieving their academic goals. His contributions will go a long way toward updating our facilities and [ensuring] a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students. The foundation has already built a network of community-centric services within the Durant Center in Prince George’s County that is exemplary.” According to Wanda Durant, when discussing Kevin Durant’s contribution to the university, he told her with a childlike grin: ‘Ma, I had to do it. It’s Bowie State, and it’s here in Prince George’s County.’ Wanda Durant said Kevin Durant wants to change the trajectory of the lives of Bowie State’s students and their families beyond the basketball players having a place to play. Because he knows education plays an integral part in the growth of their community and society, he wanted to be involved with the Bowie State University Athletic Department. So, when addressing the reasons why the foundation chose to commit to Bowie State University, Wanda Durant said “because this is home. My sons frequented here when they were younger, and also because my son wants [the] community of Prince George’s County to know that yes, he’s Kevin Durant. He has the platform that he has, but he wants the community to know that he has not forgotten where he has come from. He realized the importance of giving back, especially to an HCBU, because it has such an impact [on] our communities for generations to come.” The foundation — whose mission is to enrich the lives of at-risk youth from low-income backgrounds through educational, athletic and social programs — has engaged in philanthropic efforts in Prince George’s County before. In 2019, the Durant Family Foundation partnered with College Track to help first-generation and low-income students pursue higher education by establishing College Track at the Durant Center in Suitland, Maryland. Wanda Durant said she wants “to encourage the students to continue to grow academically, to continue to work on [their] skills in basketball and [to] continue to make our community proud, here at the oldest HBCU in Maryland.” SOURCE The Sentinel If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Sofía Montiel
HBCU Connect, Customer Success Engineer Spelman College class of 2017 Member Since November 2022 |
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