CHARLOTTE – Queens University of Charlotte announced a $1.5 million gift from philanthropists Bob and Susan Salvin during the spring Learning Society lecture on March 26.
The investment establishes the Salvin Impact Fund for the Learning Society designed to deepen student engagement with global thought leaders and amplify the university’s visibility across the region.
“Through their investment in this program, we will be able to elevate and expand key aspects of the Learning Society experience, especially the student lecture and outreach initiatives,” said Jesse Cureton, president of Queens University. “Bob and Susan’s generosity will help ensure that even more students have the opportunity to engage directly with leading thinkers and participate in conversations in the classroom and beyond.”
The Salvins describe the gift as a “magnet investment,” designed to attract additional corporate sponsorships and community support to compound the program’s impact over time.
“I believe that we have a responsibility to make a difference in the lives of these students,” Bob Salvin said. “Susan and I wanted to make an investment that we could see in action, one that stimulates young minds and invites the Charlotte community to intersect with the university in meaningful ways.”
The Salvins have championed a diverse range of initiatives on campus, from athletics and the arts to the Friends of the Library and their namesake Annual Salvin Pitch Competition.
“The Salvins have believed in Queens at every turn, from our student-athletes to our entrepreneurs, and now to the intellectual life of our campus and community,” said Lori Ann Summers, vice president of advancement. “This gift is a statement about what Queens is becoming. When our students take the stage alongside the most compelling voices of our time, they are not just witnessing greatness. They are part of the conversation. That is what a Queens education looks like, and the Salvins are making it possible at every level.”