November 06, 2009

Contact:   Stacey Schmeidel, 704/894-2798

Davidson, NC -- Davidson College will honor a former president and a longtime friend of the college with the dedication of the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Center on Tuesday, Nov. 10. All are invited to attend the event, which will take place in the plaza in front of the Weinstein Center (north side of Duke Dormitory) at 4:45 p.m. The dedication will feature remarks by Davidson College President Thomas Ross '72, as well as comments from Marcus and Carole Weinstein.

In September 2009, Marcus and Carole Weinstein made a $2.2-million gift to support the student experience at Davidson. In recognition of the Weinsteins' support, the portion of the dual-purpose Duke Residence Hall that houses Davidson's Dean Rusk International Studies Program has been named the Carole and Marcus Weinstein Center. As further recognition of the Weinsteins' generosity, the Dean Rusk staff offices are now known as the Spencer Office Suite, named for former Davidson College President Sam Spencer '40 and his wife, Ava, who are good friends of the Weinsteins. As a third component of the Weinsteins' gift, the main lobby of Chambers, Davidson's main classroom and administration building, has been named the Spencer Lobby, to honor the former president and his wife.

During his tenure as Davidson's president, from 1968 to 1984, Sam Spencer was a strong supporter of international studies at the college. He helped establish the Dean Rusk International Studies Program, which was founded in 1985. Spencer also encouraged the recruitment of underrepresented groups, including ethnic minority students and international students.

The Weinsteins' relationship with Sam and Ava Spencer dates back more than 25 years. In addition to the current gift, the Weinsteins have established the Spencer-Weinstein Scholarship in honor of Sam Spencer.

A resident of Richmond, Va., Marcus Weinstein currently serves on Davidson's Board of Visitors, a group of distinguished friends and supporters who advise the college on strategic matters.
Marcus and Carole Weinstein are well known in Richmond and in Charlotte. Marcus Weinstein began his career in real estate in 1952, building single-family homes primarily in the Richmond area. A decade later he expanded into the apartment and commercial real estate markets. He established Weinstein Properties (formerly known as Weinstein Management Company, Inc. or WMCi) in 1975 to consolidate the management of his extensive real estate holdings throughout Virginia. Today, the company owns and manages 12,000 apartments in Virginia and North Carolina. The company owns and manages 10 Bexley apartment communities in the Charlotte area, including Bexley at Davidson.

Marcus Weinstein holds a B.A. degree from the University of Richmond. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Commerce degree from the university in 2003.

Carole Weinstein earned B.A. and M. A. degrees in English from the University of Richmond. She served on the university's Board of Trustees from 1988 to 1992, and in 2004, the university awarded her an honorary doctor of letters degree.

Together, Carole and Marcus Weinstein have been very active in community philanthropic endeavors in Richmond and beyond. They have been leaders in developing academic programs, student scholarships, faculty support and campus buildings at the University of Richmond, and have also provided important support to the Virginia Holocaust Museum, the Jewish Community Federation, the Richmond Jewish Community Center (which was renamed for the Weinsteins) and many other local organizations.

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,800 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.

###