$1 Million Donation for Convergence Project

Bradley University Board of Trustees Chairman Doug Stewart and President Gary Roberts are pleased to announce that Robert and Carolyn Turner, through the Turner Family Foundation, have committed $1 million in support toward the University’s Engineering and Business Convergence Center building initiative.

Chairman Doug Stewart commended Carolyn and Bob Turner for their continued strategic influence on Bradley University. “I have been engaged with Bob and Carolyn for a long time and their support and leadership are again evidenced by this wonderful gift. Bob was chairman of Bradley’s Board of Trustees when the early versions of the Convergence concept were crafted, and he was always enthusiastic in recognizing its strategic importance to the University.”

President Gary Roberts remarked on their passion for and confidence in Bradley. “Their generosity will positively influence the educational experiences of generations of Bradley students, as well as support economic opportunity and development in Peoria and Central Illinois. Their gift to the Convergence Center now places their cumulative financial support among the top three individual donors in the history of Bradley University.”

The Turners previously established the Robert and Carolyn Turner Center for Entrepreneurship in the Foster College of Business, the Turner Endowed Chair for Entrepreneurship, and the Robert and Carolyn Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Since its inception, the Turner Center for Entrepreneurship has annually averaged engagement of 240 students serving, on average, 400 clients. Over its 15-year period of operation the Turner Center has served over 600 unduplicated clients and facilitated over 180,000 hours of student-client interaction. The Turner Chair and School for Entrepreneurship and Innovation have created and sustained meaningful opportunities for Bradley and for its faculty and students, and will provide for similar experiences and successes well into the future.

Mr. Turner has also been a catalyst to the University’s launch of a technology-assisted distance learning initiative, which now engages hundreds of graduate nursing and counseling students across the country.

Bob and Carolyn shared their observation on Bradley’s Convergence initiative: “The Convergence Center illustrates Bradley’s focus on innovative concepts that enhance the student experience at the University. The program and the building fit well with The Turner School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and we are pleased to support this effort.”

About Bob and Carolyn Turner:
Bob and Carolyn Turner are Illinois natives who have made their home in the greater Philadelphia region. He is a senior member of the investment committee of Turner Investments, trustee of the Turner Funds and manager of the global equity strategies and the strategic direction of Turner Investments. Prior to founding the Partnership, Mr. Turner held positions with Andersen Consulting and Meridian Investment Company. Mr. Turner holds a B.S. degree and an MBA from Bradley University, and also holds a chartered financial analyst designation. In addition to being a trustee of the Turner Funds, Mr. Turner serves as a member of the advisory council of the Notre Dame School of Architecture, and is an elder of the Paoli Presbyterian Church. He is a former Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Bradley University.

Carolyn Turner is a University of Illinois graduate and an Honorary Alumna of Bradley University. Mrs. Turner has a distinguished array of community and institutional involvements including current responsibilities as a member of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Zoo and a Trustee of the Willistown Conservation Trust. Carolyn and Bob are the proud parents of four children, including Andrew who is a graduate of Bradley.

About Bradley University:
Bradley University is a top-ranked, prestigious, private university in Peoria, Illinois, offering 5,400 undergraduate and graduate students the opportunities, choices and resources of a larger university and the personal attention and exceptional learning experience of a smaller university. Bradley offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, and technology. The University is located on an 85-acre campus in the largest metropolitan area in central Illinois.