CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Tuesday evening, it was announced that Illinois alumnus Larry Gies was making a $100 million donation to Illini Athletics, the largest gift in the history of the Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.
In recognition of this donation, Illinois football’s century-old Memorial Stadium is getting a name change, and will now be known as Gies Memorial Stadium.
Gies is no stranger
to making large contributions to the University of Illinois, as just eight years ago, he made a $150 million donation to what is now known as the Gies College of Business.
Kenenna Odeluga, an Illinois linebacker who graduated with a finance degree from the Gies College of Business and continues to study there, spoke to the lasting impact that Gies’ donations will have on the university.
“It really shows the impact he wants to have here, the legacy he wants to have here and just how much he wants to help build something special here,” Odeluga said. “For years to come, the kids that come through here are going to appreciate that.”
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman has said that of the recent $100 million donation made to the athletics department, a large portion of it will go towards the football program and renovations at its stadium.
With such a large amount of money coming in, it could make for some huge changes and improvements for the Illini.
The Illini’s star wide receiver Hank Beatty is a marketing major at the Gies College of Business, and has seen the difference that these donations can make firsthand.
“I’m around his donations every day, being in that building and just seeing how his donations have helped the generations here and future generations,” Beatty said. “It’s going to be a while before, you know, things get rolling with this new donation, but that’s really exciting for the new generation coming in.”
The Illini don’t have to wait long to play their first game in the newly-named Gies Memorial Stadium, as the Western Michigan Broncos come to town this weekend.
In the eyes of Beatty, he’s looking forward to playing in front of a packed home crowd just a few days after the donation had been announced and changes are going into effect.
“They’ve already got signs up calling it ‘Gies,’ so you know that’s pretty cool that they’ve already got that going, and I’m just excited to have everybody here, it’s a sell-out game, and it should be fun.”
