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Bowie State University is officially naming its theater at the school’s performing arts center after a music legend, Dionne Warwick.
The Dionne Warwick Theater will officially be unveiled on Saturday which will be the first performance center named in her honor.
“We are very grateful that Dionne Warwick recognizes the value of this storied institution, and for lending her iconic name to the Main Stage Theater inside of our Fine and Performing Arts Center,” said Brent Swinton, Bowie State University’s vice president of Institutional Advancement. “Given the rich history of artists and performers such as Myles Frost who have originated from this university, the naming is even more appropriate because of Ms. Warwick’s lifelong advocacy for higher education, healthcare and the arts.”
Swinton added: “The Dionne Warwick Theater will host concerts, plays and other performances with her name elevating the venue to another level.”
The tribute is scheduled to be held Saturday morning at the school.
The event is being held just about four months after two-time NBA champion Kevin Durant paid it forward to the historically Black college in Maryland over the past holiday season. That was when the Phoenix Suns star provided Bowie State University with a generous donation for the creation of a reimagined basketball arena.
The $500,000 gift was made through the Durant Family Foundation, a nonprofit that has a mission rooted in empowering youth from underserved communities through initiatives that sit at the intersection of sports and education. Bowie State University—which is the oldest historically Black institution in the state of Maryland—holds high significance for Durant as it was one of the places where he competed as a teenager.
The Durant family’s donation will go towards the refurbishment of the school’s basketball court and the renovation of its bleachers and press box. The gift will also support the creation of scholarships. Durant’s mother, Wanda “The Real MVP” Durant, presented the donation to the school before the women’s and men’s basketball teams at the Leonidas S. James Physical Education Complex.
“We are dedicated to providing resources and possibilities to students for higher education, especially in Prince George’s County,” she said. “Bowie State was the perfect place to make a meaningful impact.”
Aminta Breaux, who serves as President of Bowie State University, shared the Durant family’s donation will have a tremendous impact. “We’re grateful for the resources that Kevin Durant and his family foundation have generously donated to Bowie State University to advance student success in achieving their academic goals,” she shared. “His contributions will go a long way towards updating our facilities and ensure a top-tier athletic experience for all of our students. The foundation has already built a network of community-centric services within the Durant Center in Prince George’s County that is exemplary.”
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