NSU Horizons Spring 2017

7 NSU HORIZONS T he NSU University School’s newly expanded Noël P. Brown Sports Center spans 59,000 square feet and includes training and fitness rooms for student- athletes participating in 15 different sports; a gymnasium for basketball, volleyball, and other activities; a general- purpose activity room for use by students as young as junior kindergarten; offices for athletic department staff members; and locker room facilities for aquatics and visiting athletes. NSU is the only private university in the country with a local Special Olympics chapter on its campus, now being housed permanently in the Noël P. Brown Sports Center. This partnership was made possible by the late Don Taft, who was committed to supporting special-needs children and young adults. A generous gift fromThe Taft Foundation contributed to the expansion of the facility. The center is located next to the Aquatics Complex on NSU’s Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. The naming of the Noël P. Brown Sports Center is in appreciation of former NSU Board of Trustee member Keith Brown and his family’s recent gift to the university, which supports scholarships for undergraduate studies. Three of Brown’s children were NSU University School students, and he chose to name the sports center in honor of their mother. In addition, the fitness center was named the Samson Family Fitness Center, in honor of David and Cindi Samson. David Samson is the president of the Miami Marlins. Two of the Samsons’ children graduated from NSU University School, and a third child is currently a student. Cindi Samson is a member of the Head of School’s Board of Advisers. Additional donors to the Noël P. Brown Sports Center include Lauren and Steven Geduld, The Sam Berman Charitable Foundation, the Kopas family, the Steiner family, GRYCON LLC, and the Avellanet family. Financial gifts for the sports center advance Realizing Potential , NSU’s first comprehensive philanthropic campaign, which aims to raise $250 million for students, faculty members, and 21st-century education initiatives. n NSU University School’s Noël P. Brown Sports Center Expanded