Seven-figure gift kickstarts New Women’s Athletic Complex at UTC

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has received a generous seven-figure donation from the Steiner family, a local Chattanooga family with a long-standing tradition of supporting UTC.

This gift will fund the initial planning stages of a new women’s athletic complex, which will benefit the university’s softball, beach volleyball, and soccer teams.

Amy Donahue, UTC’s Division of Advancement, emphasized how this donation aligns with the family’s long history of contributing to the university.

“The Steiner family has been involved in supporting UTC for a long time, both on the athletic side and the academic side,” she explained. “This gift allows us to move forward with planning for the new women’s sports complex, which will have a tremendous impact on campus.”

The Steiner family’s previous contributions have supported scholarship programs across the College of Engineering and Computer Science, as well as health, education, and professional studies.

Now, they’re extending that generosity to enhance opportunities for UTC’s female student-athletes.

While this donation marks an exciting milestone, Donahue expressed that the project is still in its early stages.

“We’re really excited today not just to share that we received a seven-figure gift,” she elaborated. “This gift is going to make a big impact on campus by supporting some of our women’s athletics teams, but this is just the beginning. We’ve talked for a long time about how we can better improve or create new facilities for our women’s sports teams. Now, this donation gives us the opportunity to begin that planning process.”

She further explained that the planning phase involves thoughtful consideration of existing resources and determining how to optimize the space.

“It’s time to really dive in and think about how we plan for these facilities well. Where do they need to go? What existing opportunities do we have with our intramural fields and the sports complex? How can we share facilities among our teams and intramural programs while being thoughtful with our resources?”

Community members may be wondering whether tuition fees could be impacted by the financial needs of this project.

Donahue was quick to address that concern, emphasizing that philanthropic contributions will drive this project forward.

“In the world of higher education, and especially in athletics, you can’t make progress apart from philanthropy,” she explained. “It’s really about talking to people who love UTC athletics and want to invest in our student-athletes. We align their priorities with what our students need, and that’s how we make these projects happen.”

She reiterated that the Steiner family’s gift is only the first step in what will be a larger fundraising campaign.

“This is just the initial gift,” she said. “We know there’s more work to be done, and we’ll need additional donor support to bring these facilities to life.”

Donahue also highlighted the importance of maintaining strong relationships with donors to continue advancing projects like the women’s sports complex.

“When you have projects like this, it’s important to have relationships with supporters who believe in UTC,” she expressed. “We’re looking at this project as one that will be supported primarily by donor funds, which is great news for prospective students and parents who are naturally concerned about tuition costs.”

In addition to celebrating the Steiner family’s generous gift, Donahue encouraged others who want to make a lasting impact to consider supporting UTC.

“If you’re someone who wants to make a difference in our community, there are so many opportunities to do that,” she explained. “Whether it’s providing scholarship support for students, supporting our student-athletes, or contributing to faculty research that you care about, there’s a place for your generosity.”

She emphasized that gifts of all sizes can make a meaningful impact.

“You don’t have to make a seven-figure gift to leave a legacy at UTC. If you’re interested, we can help you figure out where your interests align with the needs of our campus and create a lasting impact for generations to come.”

Although no end date for the project has been established, Donahue expressed optimism about its future.

“This gift gives us the chance to get the planning started,” she said. “We hope that in a few years, if you want to come watch a UTC women’s soccer game, you’ll be able to do that right here on campus in a wonderful new facility.”

As UTC embarks on this transformative journey, the Steiner family’s generosity is paving the way for future growth and success for women’s athletics on campus.