Wilson and Jane Jones Give $1M to AC Expansion Project
11/19/2024 7:45:00 AM | General, Mean Green Athletic Fund
DENTON, Texas – Wilson and Jane Jones have donated $1 million to UNT Athletics' on-going fundraising efforts toward the Athletics Center expansion project, Vice President and Director of Athletics Jared Mosley announced Tuesday.Â
This $1 million gift helped kick start UNT Athletics' fundraising campaign for the Athletics Center Expansion, which aims to enhance the student-athlete experience through a focus on holistic development both in the classroom and in competition. The expansion will provide state-of-the-art facilities designed to support student-athletes' physical, mental, and academic growth.Â
"I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Wilson and Jane Jones for their continued support of UNT," Mosley said. "Their belief in the power of sports as a transformational tool has made an incredible impact on our student-athletes.
"Through their generosity, they will help us Build Champions and Prepare Leaders long into the future. Their commitment to our mission inspires us every day, and we are proud to have them as partners in this journey. Thank you for believing in our vision and for making a lasting difference in the lives of our student-athletes."
The Jones' gift is the 11th of $1 million or more in UNT Athletics history.
Wilson Jones is a 1985 UNT graduate. The family previously donated $5 million to UNT in 2022 to create The Wilson Jones Career Center in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. He retired as CEO of Oshkosh Corporation in 2021.
Jones led the company to a No. 8 ranking on Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, a Glassdoor Employees' Choice Award for being one of the best places to work, recognition as a Military Friendly Employer by Victory Media and one of Ethisphere Institute's World's Most Ethical Companies, as well as a spot as one of The Wall Street Journal's "Best Managed Companies" from 2017 to 2019.
"As a proud graduate of UNT, I have seen firsthand the power of higher education and the role athletics plays in shaping the lives and futures of young leaders," Jones said. "Jane and I are excited to contribute and support the Athletics Center Expansion campaign. UNT had a profound impact on helping me reach my full potential, and we hope this Athletics Center Expansion project will help student-athletes reach theirs."
Jones was named one of the top CEOs of 2018 and was honored with the UNT Distinguished Alumni Award and inducted into the G. Brint Ryan College of Business Hall of Fame in 2021.
The Athletics Center expansion will be completed in two phases with phase one focusing on space for strength and conditioning. The remodel will expand that area of emphasis from its current 6,180 square feet to more than 20,000 – more than three times its original size.
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For more information on the Athletics Center expansion visit: www.MeanGreenSports.com/ACExpansion
