University trustee Jeanne Robertson and her husband Jerry have continued their support of Elon athletics by funding extensive improvements to the university’s track and field facilities.
Following a full renovation of the facility, Elon has opened the Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex, named in honor of the Burlington, N.C., couple who are longtime supporters of the university, student-athletes and Phoenix athletics programs.
The Robertsons provided a major gift for improvements to Elon’s track and field, including a complete track replacement and additional lights for the eight-lane facility. Work was completed this month, and the university’s board of trustees named the complex in recognition of the Robertsons’ support. The Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex includes Irwin Belk Track and Dr. Alan and Norma White Field, which was named in honor of Elon’s former athletics director and his wife by a previous gift by the Robertsons. Nearby is Alan J. White Bell Tower, which was also named in honor of White by the Robertsons.
“We are so lucky to live in a community with a university like Elon, and it’s exciting to watch it grow,” says Jeanne Robertson, who has served Elon as a trustee since 2003. “We want to support that, and this project was an opportunity to make a difference for so many athletes, students, and faculty and staff members who use the track.”
The track and field facility opened in 2002 and is used by many Elon athletics teams, including men’s and women’s cross country, women’s track and field, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s lacrosse. The addition of lights to the facility allows for greater flexibility as the teams schedule their practice times, and the renovations also enable the women’s track and field team to host meets.
“Jerry and Jeanne Robertson are among Elon’s most loyal and generous benefactors, with a long history of supporting the university,” President Leo M. Lambert says. “We thank them for this gift and their dedicated support of Elon athletics and many other university priorities. Their generosity and Jeanne’s leadership on the Board of Trustees have had a lasting impact on Elon students.”
In 2010, the Robertsons made a lead gift for renovations to Elon’s Alumni Gymnasium, where the university’s basketball and volleyball teams compete. In addition, the Robertsons have endowed multiple athletics scholarships and are among the most loyal fans at many Phoenix games. Their son, Bailey “Beaver” Bowline is a 1989 Elon graduate who played on the basketball team and their grandson, Ryder Bowline, is currently a guard on the team.
“We are so grateful for the friendship that Jerry and Jeanne Robertson have provided for Elon Athletics over the years,” says Elon Director of Athletics Dave Blank. “Their support has touched the lives and athletic experiences of so many Elon student-athletes. The Jerry and Jeanne Robertson Track and Field Complex is a very important improvement and will serve the needs of our student-athletes for many years to come.”