Robert B. and Terry Hennersdorf Rowling, both BBA ’76, pause to savor the moment during the building’s opening.
“We haven’t ever really believed in putting our names on anything.” Gilligan made his case for the future Rowling Hall. “He gave the reasons why it was important to him,” says Rowling. “He even said, ‘If we can’t use your name, we won’t take your money.’ It was pretty funny.” Rowling and his wife, Terry Hennersdorf Rowling, BBA ’76, discussed the proposal, finally agreeing to the gift that made the building possible. “Terry and I both went to Texas and we loved our experience there,” Rowling says. “Higher education is a great equalizer. Neither of us came from families that had many financial resources, and Texas gave both of us a great education. So it’s naturally a place for us to give back.” He is quick to credit the more than 70 high-level donors who were inspired to give back too. “It’s been a big
P H OTO G R A P H S BY J E F F W I L S O N
effort by a lot of Texas alums to put this thing on the ground. It’s not just the Rowling family,” he says. School leaders expect the new building will help recruit outstanding faculty and students, including in-state residents who will be able to stay in Texas for a top-tier education. Says University of Texas at Austin President Gregory L. Fenves: “This magnificent building is a testament to the vision of Robert and Terry Rowling, and their belief in the power of a UT education, which propelled the project from the beginning.” Rowling expects that visitors will be “blown away” by a building unlike anything else on campus, pointing to its open architecture and collaboration spaces. “Everybody expected something good,” he says, “but it’s better than good.”
STUDENTS AT WORK Names: Elaine Thai and Yash Samant, both MPA ’18 Date/Time: April 12, 1:44 p.m. Room: Jon and Rebecca Brumley Accelerator, 5th floor Working On: The startup space was not yet occupied by student entrepreneurs, so they discovered it as a perfect spot to study for a CPA exam. “People don’t know this room is available yet,” Thai says.
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