Steph Pettit '89 honored with the renaming of upper campus

In recognition of a $10 million gift from Steph Pettit ‘89, Bloomsburg University and the BU Foundation celebrated the renaming of the University’s upper campus to the Pettit Athletic Complex on Saturday, Oct. 16. 

“We are overjoyed to be here today, celebrating this moment,” said BU President Bashar Hanna. “Steph’s overwhelming commitment to supporting student-athletes is something we celebrate every day. His transformational gifts over the years have positively impacted hundreds of students – and their families – and changed their lives for generations to come. I can’t think of a better time to celebrate Steph Pettit than with so many alumni and members of the BU family who have returned this weekend for Homecoming.”

The university initially announced Pettit’s most recent gift of $10 million on Dec. 4, 2019. The gift officially made Pettit the largest donor in BU’s history, bringing his total contributions to more than $12.5 million. The celebration of the gift was delayed due to the pandemic.

“In my eleven years leading the Huskies, today is a critical and celebratory day in intercollegiate athletics,” said BU Director of Athletics Michael McFarland, Ph.D. “The naming of Pettit Athletic Complex is not just about the wonderful enhancements to the upper campus bearing his name. It is about the scholarship support that comes along with the donation to support all student-athletes and sports at Bloomsburg University.”

For Pettit, giving back to his alma mater has always been a priority. In 2010 he co-chaired the committee for the First and Goal Campaign, the largest fundraising campaign in the history of Huskies Football as well as establishing the SP-59 annual football scholarship, the Under Armour Football sponsorship, and the Steph Pettit Legacy Scholarship.

Pettit has also supported athletics with a $1 million contribution that endowed scholarships, and named Steph Pettit Stadium, honored fellow classmates with the Sully and Bubs Pavilion. In 2017, he established a gift to fund learning opportunities through a production company within the Mass Communications Department, which was Steph’s major, for current students that features documentary and long-form video projects.

“My goal is to elevate the athletic program at BU by giving the coaches the resources needed to recruit student-athletes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and beyond with stronger academic and athletic profiles,” said Pettit. “Competition is fierce in the world of intercollegiate athletics, and our coaches need more scholarship money to compete at the highest levels. I am honored to be able to make this gift and support their efforts to compete for championships at the conference level and be competitive on a national level.”