---
title: "$18M Gift to Endow UMD Sports Management Program, Support Scholarships"
date: 2024-12-03T05:30:00-05:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/18m-gift-to-endow-umd-sports-management-program-support-scholarships"
section: Articles
---
# $18M Gift to Endow UMD Sports Management Program, Support Scholarships

*December 3, 2024* — by [John Tucker](/author/john-tucker)


> Spaces in Athletics Facilities to Be Named for Former NBA Executive Stephen M. Schanwald ’77

*241115 mlm ath Schanwald 161 1920x1080 — The Football Practice Fields at Jones-Hill House (left), Xfinity Center Pavilion and Sports Management Program will be named for Stephen M. Schanwald, while the Stephen M. Schanwald-Russ Potts External Operations Suite in the Xfinity Center will honor him and his former mentor at UMD. He met with students in "The Business of Sports" class (below) during a visit to campus last month.*

A trailblazing marketing executive with the Chicago Bulls has committed to give $18 million to his alma mater, the University of Maryland, to support the athletics program that launched his career—and the new sports management program that he hopes will launch many others.

The university announced on Tuesday that Stephen Schanwald ’77 has directed $10 million to Maryland Athletics to support its top priorities, and $8 million to the Robert H. Smith School of Business to endow its [Sports Management Program](https://www.rhsmith.umd.edu/programs/undergraduate/academics/specialty-programs/sports-management-program) and to provide scholarships for students taking courses in it.

“It's a great blessing at this stage of my life to be able to have the opportunity to try to help young people grow and achieve their dreams,” said Schanwald. “The most rewarding thing to me is mentoring people and helping people climb the ladder the way I was helped.”

In recognition of his generosity, the Sports Management Program as well as the Xfinity Center Pavilion and Football Practice Fields at Jones-Hill House will be named for him; the Stephen M. Schanwald-Russ Potts External Operations Suite in the Xfinity Center will honor him and his former mentor at UMD.

“Stephen Schanwald left an indelible imprint on the NBA,” said UMD President Darryll J. Pines. “Now he’s doing the same for the University of Maryland and current and future generations of students, student-athletes and Terps fans.”

Schanwald calls the unpaid internship he sought and held in Maryland Athletics for three years under Potts, who in 1970 became the first sports marketing director in the history of collegiate athletics, “the greatest decision I ever made.”

Upon graduating from UMD with a degree in general studies, Schanwald followed in Potts’ footsteps, becoming the first director of sports promotions at the United States Air Force Academy. After a stint with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he earned a World Series championship ring, Schanwald became assistant vice president of marketing of the Chicago White Sox.

He stayed in town to join the Bulls in 1987 and over the next 28 years, as executive vice president of business operations, he reimagined the action inside an arena between the whistles.


*Schanwald holds up Under Armour sweatshirt while group of students cheers around him — Photo by John T. Consoli*




**Topics:** [Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/tags/athletics), [Campus & Community](https://today.umd.edu/tags/campus-community), [People](https://today.umd.edu/tags/people)


**Tags:** [Alumni](https://today.umd.edu/topic/alumni), [Basketball](https://today.umd.edu/topic/basketball), [Marketing](https://today.umd.edu/topic/marketing), [Philanthropy](https://today.umd.edu/topic/philanthropy), [Student Experience](https://today.umd.edu/topic/student-experience)


**Units:** [Department of Intercollegiate Athletics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/department-intercollegiate-athletics), [Robert H. Smith School of Business](https://today.umd.edu/topic/robert-h-smith-school-business)