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History
Fisher Student Center and Fisher University Union
Herbert and Sylvia Fisher Student Center Grand Opening Fall 2006.
The University of North Carolina Wilmington named the new student center in
honor of alumni Herbert and Sylvia Fisher, whose ties to their alma mater extend
back more than 50 years to the early days of Wilmington College.
The
Fishers, lifelong Wilmington residents, have established a $2 million endowed
fund to maintain the student center and enhance its programs. Their contribution
to name the Herbert and Sylvia Fisher Student Center is the largest outright
gift from individual donors in UNCW history.
"We are honored to help the
students at UNCW," said Herb Fisher, founder of Coastal Realty. "The Wilmington
community has been very good to us, and this is a way we can return some of
those good deeds."
Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo said, "With their historic
gift, Herb and Sylvia Fisher have truly found a way to make a difference for
each student at UNCW. The Fisher Student Center will serve as a symbol of their
loyalty to their alma mater, their love for the Wilmington community, and their
sincere commitment to helping UNCW provide all students with the most powerful
learning experience possible."
About the Fishers
Herb, Class of 1953, and Sylvia, Class of 1950, attended Wilmington College
when classes were held in the Isaac Bear Building on Market Street. Sylvia
Fisher was the college's first Homecoming Queen. In 1950, Herb Fisher opened the
Varsity, a pharmacy, grill and soda shop, a block away from the college. It
quickly became the place "where young folks meet and eat," Fisher
recalled.
"When I ran the Varsity, the students at that time did not have
a student union," he said. "They would fill the Varsity up completely, even
standing shoulder to shoulder, because they wanted to be with their
friends."
The Varsity served as the unofficial student center until the
1960s when the college moved to its present location on College Road. Fisher
maintained the shop until 1973, when he closed the Varsity to concentrate on
managing Coastal Realty. Although he no longer saw the students on a daily
basis, Fisher maintained an interest in UNCW. His son Carlton, also with Coastal
Realty, is a member of the Class of 1983. Carlton volunteers on the UNCW
Foundation Board, a nonprofit organization formed to assist the university with
fundraising.
Several years ago, the Fishers established a scholarship
for undergraduate students enrolled in the Watson School of Education. Herb
Fisher has included a provision in his will for a $250,000 contribution to the
scholarship, and he gave $200,000 to refurbish the field house at Brooks Field,
the baseball stadium. It will be called the Herbert Fisher Field
House.
"Herb and Sylvia Fisher have meant so much to UNCW for so many
years," said Vice Chancellor Mary M. Gornto, Division for University
Advancement. "It is a tremendous privilege for this university to name our
student center for them."
Warwick Center
The Warwick Center facility is home to the largest multi-use venue on campus, the Warwick Center Ballroom, as well as several smaller meeting spaces able to accommodate groups as small as 2 persons to as large as 550! The list below contains links to the Warwick Center meeting facilities. Each page contains capacity information, dimensions, as well as set-up recommendations, and are listed in order from largest to smallest.
Burney Center
The Burney Center opened to the public in March, 2008 and features a 9,300 square feet ballroom,with five different configurations available. Over 600 guests can be seated for a banquet and nearly 1,000 guests can be seated auditorium style. This ballroom has upscale finishes and an excellent sound and lighting system. In addition, a large lobby area serves as a pre-function space, two green rooms and an office can be used in support of events.
Construction Pictures
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