TUFF Gifts $350,000 for Building Improvements at Georgia Gwinnett College

In an effort to meet the challenges of rapidly growing, Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC), TUFF has gifted $350,000 to the institution to be used at their discretion for improvements to Building A on campus.

Building A, formerly known as "Gwinnett Center" was initially a partnership between the University of Georgia and Georgia Perimeter College that provided a University System of Georgia campus within the Gwinnett region. The administration was renting facilities but the space was leased at market rates, not programmed for the State’s needs, and scattered among several facilities. The State of Georgia was prepared to expand the campus and a new facility was needed in order to meet the enrollment challenges for the upcoming fall.

TUFF worked with the administration to create a space program that would fit within the investment criteria of the State. TUFF studied the market and worked with local land owners to assemble the property for a new facility. TUFF then invested in a 120,000 square foot facility, Building A, and doubled the Institution's available space for the same effective cost as the State was incurring before.

The facility was the first structure on the new satellite campus and the success of the project proved to be the catalyst for the State to appropriate funds for several additional facilities. Today, the campus is the home of the 35^th institution of the University System of Georgia - Georgia Gwinnett College.

 “This generous donation will enable GGC to make improvements to Building A that will enhance and expand our ability to provide high-quality academic instruction for our students” said Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman, President of GGC.

Kevin Byrne, TUFF vice president and chief operating officer stated, “TUFF congratulates GGC on their continued accomplishments and is happy to have played a role in helping GGC achieve their goals.”

“TUFF believes in what GGC is doing and recognizes that fast growth presents many challenges for universities,” stated TUFF president and CEO Thomas H. Hall, III. “We are interested in GGC’s long term success and remain proud to be a contributor to that success.”

GGC opened its doors to 118 juniors as its first students in 2006. Enrollment for fall 2011 semester reached to almost 8,000 students. The university is preparing to launch an athletic program in the fall of 2012, and will soon break ground on its athletics complex.