USC Annenberg on Tuesday announced fundraising plans to raise capital to revamp the Annenberg School of Communication Building, with the support of a $10 million grant from the Annenberg Foundation.
The foundation’s gift provides a $5 million grant plus a $5 million matching challenge grant with hopes of encouraging the school’s alumni, parents and friends to support the renovation.
“Our #ascj legacy of innovation continues!” the school posted on Instagram. “With the support of a $10 million grant from the @annenbergfdn, we are launching a capital campaign to transform our historic Annenberg School of Communication building. Learn how this imaginative and forward-thinking structure — created by renowned architect A. Quincy Jones — will provide the foundation for creating new spaces that advance our future.”
The foundation, which also donated its name to the building, is a philanthropic family foundation dedicated to addressing critical issues that have been around since 1989. The foundation’s past partners have included PledgeLA, LA2050 and the Annenberg GenSpace for aging and wellness.
The ASC building is one of two buildings that houses students from the communication and journalism school. Located centrally, the building lies directly across from USC Athletics’ Heritage Hall and Allyson Felix Field, a testament to the commitment to work in the intersection of sports and communications at USC Annenberg.
Dean Willow Bay said she sees the fundraiser to revamp as representative of the school’s need for its physical infrastructure to match its goals and visions and those of its founder.
“This fundraising campaign presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to position the school for a future of continued leadership and impact, engaging our community in a transformative renovation that honors the vision of our founder, Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg,” Bay said.
Plans include transforming the west lobby to “a media and culture hub using sports as a lens to create interdisciplinary programs and research across entertainment, human potential and performance, business, technology and society,” according to a statement from USC Annenberg.
The ASC building was designed in 1974 by Jones, and in 2014, it was designated by the Los Angeles City Council as a Historic Cultural Monument.
“The ASC building’s original design embodies our passion for technology, our dedication to service and our commitment to use communication to address society’s issues,” Bay said.
The renovated building will join forces with Wallis Annenberg Hall, which opened in 2014, to offer a state-of-the-art student environment and experience that “reinforces the school’s position as an international leader in communication studies and as a center for campus life.”
“Once again, we must rely on our tradition of transformation as we lean into a new era of deep purpose and boundless creativity,” said Wallis Annenberg, chairman, president and CEO of the Annenberg Foundation. “We must continue to ensure our physical spaces align with our intellectual mission for this school to flourish.”