ATLANTA – The Georgia State University Athletic Department has received a major gift that will benefit all Panther sports and help advance the plan to build a new strength and conditioning center, Director of Athletics Cheryl L. Levick announced on Tuesday.
The generous gift from Frank and Judy Strickland totals $350,000 for athletic department use. It will assist with the planned construction of a weight room at the football practice facility and also will positively affect all student-athletes through the Panther Athletic Club (PAC).
“We believe the growth and direction of Georgia State Athletics is leading to even greater national exposure for the entire university. The addition of football is opening new doors for everyone on campus, and that's worth an investment,” Frank Strickland said.
The planned strength and conditioning center will be located at the football complex and will allow for optimal training sessions. It will provide more than 7,000 square feet of additional space and state-of-the-art equipment.
"The generosity and commitment that Frank and Judy Strickland have shown through their gift will be felt across this athletic department for years to come,” Levick said. “We are deeply appreciative of their commitment to the success of football and all sports at Georgia State University.”
“We are extremely grateful to Frank and Judy for their dedication to the success of the student-athletes at Georgia State,” head football coach Trent Miles said. “Their contribution will assist us across the board as we build this football program, and will allow our players to be better prepared physically to compete – and win – at the FBS level.”
The Stricklands are investing in the future of Georgia State athletics as a whole, not just football. They love all of the sports at Georgia State and are equally proud of every team, but Frank says, “Without a productive football team, we will continue to be an unrecognized institution. And we very much want this university to be highly recognized.”
Strickland is a partner at SignatureFD, a financial design firm. He has previously worked as a financial consultant to business owners, professionals and high net-worth individuals. He founded and served as CEO of Data Systems Corp. and began his career in the tax department of KPMG. Frank and Judy each graduated from Georgia State, with Frank earning an undergraduate accounting degree and an MBA. They have been married for more than 40 years and have four grown children.
Strickland's hopes for this gift go much farther than the physical elements.
“What we really hope is that this gift will inspire other people to step forward and through their own gift, recognize the contribution that Georgia State has made in their lives and to the city and the whole southeast. It gave us a solid education, and still is a point of pride for us.”
The gift is the second during the 2014 fiscal year that will go toward the athletic department capital campaign that is underway to upgrade facilities for all sports and teams. The first was a significant anonymous gift secured in August that will benefit a number of sports.
Anyone who would like to contribute to the campaign can contact Rob Clark, Sr. Associate Athletic Director for Development at (404) 413-4017. Fans who would like to support Panther student-athletes directly through the Panther Athletic Club (PAC) can contact Elizabeth Pangle at (404) 413-4126.
