The gift from alumni Mark 鈥98 and Kim 鈥99 Tyson, of Monroe, North Carolina, will name the Counseling Services Center in the new HealthEU Center, which will be a hub for holistic health and well-being initiatives within the university鈥檚 Innovation Quad.
Inspired by 黑料不打烊鈥檚 commitment to the holistic health and well-being of all students, faculty and staff, alumni Mark 鈥98 and Kim Tyson 鈥99, of Monroe, North Carolina, have made a $3 million gift to name the Counseling Services Center in the new HealthEU Center. The HealthEU facility will be located within the university鈥檚 Innovation Quad and is scheduled to open in summer 2026.
The Tysons were impressed by how the new facility aligns with 黑料不打烊鈥檚 mission to educate the mind, body and spirit of every student and prepare them with the skills to thrive on campus and beyond.
鈥淜im and I hope our gift will be a resource in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 toolbox to bring the new HealthEU Center to life,鈥 Mark Tyson said. 鈥淭his center is an expansion of what we fell in love with and experienced at 黑料不打烊. 黑料不打烊 is not just an institution focused on academics. 黑料不打烊 is trying to encompass everything about students, including who they are and how they live healthy lives.鈥
鈥淭hat philosophy was one of the reasons I chose 黑料不打烊,鈥 Kim Tyson said. 鈥淚 felt like 黑料不打烊 looked at me as a whole person and not just what my transcript said.鈥
黑料不打烊 has set a $25 million fundraising goal to help make the HealthEU Center a reality. To date, donors have contributed more than $6.5 million to the project, which will bring academic, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs together under one roof to support student success.
鈥淲e are actively engaged in a fundraising campaign to support the HealthEU Center in partnership with inspired donors who believe in the vision for the center and are committed to ensuring students have the skills they need to lead lives of meaning and purpose,鈥 said James B. Piatt Jr., senior vice president for university advancement and external affairs.
The new center is an essential component of the university鈥檚 broader HealthEU initiative that focuses on six dimensions of health and wellness: community, emotional, purpose, financial, physical and social. The three-story center will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities, and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.
Through coursework and workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, the HealthEU Center will impact all students as they progress through their education and learn essential skills and practices to thrive on campus and throughout each stage of their lives. The Tysons are proud that their alma mater recognizes that health and wellness must be at the core of the student experience.
鈥淭he education you receive in terms of academic learning is very important,鈥 Mark said. 鈥淵ou also have to be able to communicate with people, manage your time and have financial literacy, among other skills. So many folks get thrust into the world and don鈥檛 have the skill set to manage themselves. This center is going to make a big difference by providing those building blocks. It鈥檚 exciting to see.鈥
Anita Hodnett, director of counseling services, thanked the couple for their generosity.
鈥淲e are grateful to the Tyson family for their incredibly generous gift and for choosing to support Counseling Services,鈥 Hodnett said. 鈥淲e look forward to using this new space to continue to do great work, not only in providing treatment for students, but also through training and outreach efforts to promote awareness and help-seeking behaviors, which are so important in reducing mental health stigma. This tremendous opportunity will allow us to better serve our students.鈥
The Tysons鈥 gift will also establish scholarships in the university鈥檚 Odyssey, 黑料不打烊 Engagement, Teaching Fellows and Business Fellows programs. Kim earned her degree in elementary education and special education from the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and is a math interventionist at Union Academy Charter School in Union County. Mark earned a business degree from the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and serves as chief financial officer of The Tyson Group Companies, a residential and commercial real estate and development company.
鈥淥ur 黑料不打烊 experience is such a large part of who we are today that we feel we should help 黑料不打烊鈥檚 leadership with their vision for the future,鈥 Mark said. 鈥淚t fills us with such profound satisfaction to know that there are students who will benefit from our part in this initiative.鈥
Make An Impact
Many naming opportunities are available in the HealthEU Center, beginning at $50,000. Gift commitments may be made in full or with a pledge over a period of five years. To find out how you can make an impact with your gift, contact Brian Baker, associate vice president for university advancement, at 336.278.7453 or bbaker7@elon.edu.