DANVILLE, Va. (Oct. 6, 2020) –Averett University today announced that it has renamed its North Campus to the Averett University E. Stuart James Grant North Campus. The Mount Cross Road campus is home to Averett Athletics.

The E. Stuart James Grant Charitable Trust, established in 1992 and administered by American National Bank and Trust Co., has provided the University with a combined $18.5 million over the past 27 years. The late E. Stuart James Grant, the former owner and publisher of the Danville Register & Bee, willed her estate to eight organizations across the region upon her death in 1990.

“The immense contributions of Mrs. Grant have impacted Averett students, faculty, staff and visitors for almost three decades,” said Averett University President Dr. Tiffany M. Franks. “We are most grateful to this very generous and remarkable woman whose donations can be realized across Averett’s campuses, especially here on our North Campus.”

The Grant Trust has funded many capital and programmatic projects at Averett, including:

• Frank R. Campbell Stadium construction

• E. Stuart James Grant Center

• North Campus Capital Fund

• Main Hall renovations

• Bachelor of Science in nursing program start-up funding

• Student Center construction

• Faculty technology training and faculty recruitment
“Our most used facility on this campus is named the E. Stuart James Grant Center, but with the gracious amount of donations from the Grant Trust to support Averett’s mission, it was only fitting that we find a grander way to honor Mrs. Grant’s generosity,” said Franks.

“American National Bank & Trust Company has had the pleasure to administer the Grant Trust since inception. It has been particularly rewarding to see the generosity of Mrs. Grant’s lasting gift be recognized in such a meaningful way by Averett University,” said Jeffrey V. Haley, president & CEO of American National Bank and Trust Co.

The renaming project has been underway for some time, and was awaiting the completing of city road construction on Mount Cross. The University’s new digital sign now bears the namesake of Grant.

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