Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

University of Kentucky Receives $2.5M Donation Toward Renovation Project

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/12/24

The University of Kentucky in Lexington, Ky., recently announced that it has accepted a $2.5-million donation that will transform Pence Hall into the home of the university’s College of Communication and Information, according to a news release. The gift came from Misdee Wrigley Miller, philanthropist, entrepreneur, horsewoman, and journalist; and her husband, businessman and polo player James Miller.

The project will add 24,000 square feet to the existing building, which will house the Dean’s Office, Department of Communication, School of Journalism and Media, Student Success, Student Media, Technology Services, and more, according to the university website. New amenities will include five classrooms, a large auditorium space, a seminar room, two computer labs, a whitebox studio, and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces. The project has a total cost of $32 million and an estimated completion date of summer 2025.

“Kentucky offers everything visually that is needed to produce films and TV shows — beautiful rolling hills, lakes, charming small towns, urban areas, horse farms, bourbon distilleries,” said Wrigley Miller, who serves as the owner and CEO of Wrigley Media Group and LEX Studios. “The people element is where a substantial amount of growth and opportunity lies. My goal in supporting the future home of the UK College of Communication and Information is to expand and enrich the educational opportunities offered in Kentucky. The results will be an educated, local crew base that is skilled to produce the film and TV industry work that is headed our way. The film and TV crews that are coming to Kentucky need to hire Kentuckians… and they will!”

The project is part of the university’s Asset Preservation initiative, which aims to preserve existing campus buildings and create future-ready learning spaces. The university has also announced that the building’s administrative level and second-floor auditorium will be named in Wrigley Miller’s honor, according to the news release.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Tennessee Middle School Completes Health, Life Safety Renovations

    The Giles County Board of Education in Pulaski, Tenn., recently announced that a series of renovation projects has been completed at Bridgeforth Middle School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Wold Architects & Engineers and Brindley Construction to modernize building systems at one of the district’s oldest schools.

  • College of the Desert Hits Construction Milestone on New Campus

    College of the Desert recently announced that the construction of its new Palm Springs Campus in Palm Springs, Calif., recently reached a major construction milestone, according to a news release. The college is partnering with general contractor C.W. Driver Companies, which recently “topped out” the facility by placing the final beam in its structure.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.