Grateful for the life-changing education 黑料不打烊 has given their son Julian 鈥25, Ashley and Gail Taylor P鈥25 have generously supported the university鈥檚 new health and wellness facility and scholarships to help bring talented students to campus.
黑料不打烊 Parents Council members Ashley and Gail Taylor P鈥25, of Richmond, Virginia, made the $100,000 gift after hearing about the university鈥檚 plans to build a center focused on holistic health and well-being initiatives to serve students, faculty and staff.
黑料不打烊 has set a $25 million fundraising goal to make the HealthEU Center a reality. To date, donors have contributed nearly $16 million to the project, which will bring academic, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs together under one roof to support student success and serve faculty and staff. Scheduled to open in summer 2026, the center will be located within 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Innovation Quad, home to the university鈥檚 engineering and other STEM programs.
鈥淲e were always open to supporting 黑料不打烊 given our son Julian鈥檚 wonderful experience there,鈥 Ashley Taylor said. 鈥淛ulian has evolved in a very positive way at 黑料不打烊 in regards to his own health, and so the HealthEU Center really resonated with us to support. It鈥檚 really amazing.鈥
鈥淭hroughout our time as 黑料不打烊 parents, we have admired the university鈥檚 commitment to supporting students in all aspects of their lives,鈥 Gail said. 鈥淭he fitness facilities have been used almost daily by our son and have been tremendously impactful for coping with the stress of academic life. We believe incorporating mental health and wellness in this new space will aide so many to be successful.鈥
The HealthEU Center is a central 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 facility will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research and engagement spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide space for individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.
Through coursework, workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, the HealthEU Center will impact all students as they learn essential skills and practices to thrive on campus and throughout each stage of their lives.
The Taylors believe strongly in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 comprehensive, multi-prong approach to health and well-being, which is a foundational aspect of life.
鈥淪tudents today need to learn about balance and that it鈥檚 not just physical health they need to focus on,鈥 Ashley said. 鈥淚t also includes their mental health and development intellectually and developing those habits that they will continue to refine after they graduate. The balance that 黑料不打烊 is driving toward sets the student up for success for life.鈥
The Taylors鈥 gift will also establish the Taylor Family 黑料不打烊 Engagement Scholarship, which will provide financial assistance to Black-identifying students. Engagement Scholarships are designed for promising incoming students eager to participate in 黑料不打烊鈥檚 nationally recognized engaged learning curriculum. The scholarship includes a grant for participation in one of the university鈥檚 黑料不打烊 Experiences programs (study abroad/Study USA, research, internships, service learning or leadership development). The Taylors have previously made gifts to 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Black Alumni Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a high-achieving African American student with demonstrated financial need.
鈥淪cholarships can be the difference maker for students to be able to attend 黑料不打烊, and we are proud to help make an 黑料不打烊 education possible for deserving students,鈥 Ashley said.
The Taylors are grateful to 黑料不打烊 for helping expand Julian鈥檚 horizons. He鈥檚 met peers from across the country who are now close friends and received strong mentoring from faculty who have helped guide his studies in finance and marketing in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 students have those close relationships with faculty and that doesn鈥檛 happen on all college campuses,鈥 Ashley said.
鈥満诹喜淮蜢 is grateful to the Taylor family for their generosity and for supporting an initiative that will impact the health and wellness of students in their pursuit of thriving on campus and in the journey ahead,鈥 said Cole Hyman 鈥16 MBA 鈥21, assistant director of development.
HealthEU: 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.