Elon alumnus and parent Sam Burke ’89 P’19 and his wife, Kelly P’19, of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, are among the benefactors helping to make Richard W. Sankey Hall possible.
Sam Burke ’89 P’19 and his wife, Kelly P’19, of Hellertown, Pa., are helping the university reach the $9 million fundraising goal for Richard W. Sankey Hall, the new facility planned as part of the expansion of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
“The way the business school is growing, you can see the need for expansion,” said Sam Burke, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers and a member of the Love School of Business Advisory Board. “It’s exciting to be part of that momentum and upward trajectory.”
Burke has been instrumental in opening the doors of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to Elon students and alumni. Recognizing the growing connections between Elon and PwC, Burke has teamed up with Ryan Rate ’06, Dana Blaney ’09 and other Elon alumni at the firm to garner support for Sankey Hall, the new three-story, 30,000-square-foot facility to be located on the north end of the McMichael Science Center parking lot.
Burke said he’s been impressed by the Elon students who have worked at PwC.
“We’ve been fortunate to be able to hire so many top-rated students,” he said. “They are equipped with the tools for success and are willing to invest in doing what it takes to be successful.”
The Burkes have been dedicated donors to the Love School of Business and Elon athletics, and made a major gift to the Inman Admissions Welcome Center. They also previously established the Samuel L. Burke Endowed Fund for Engaged Learning in Business. Sam Burke received the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award and is a member of Order of the Oak, recognizing donors who make estate or other planned gifts to the university.
Currently under design, Sankey Hall will be located on the north end of the McMichael Science Center parking lot adjacent to Colonnades Dining Hall. In addition to technology infused classrooms and student-faculty engagement spaces, Sankey Hall will house two new academic centers focusing on financial education and Design Thinking.
To date, parents, alumni and friends have contributed $7.7 million in commitments toward the $9 million fundraising goal for Sankey Hall.