Kennesaw State University has received a $5 million gift from the Bobbie Bailey Foundation to benefit the School of Music in the College of the Arts. This transformative gift, coupled with past philanthropic support from Dr. Bobbie Bailey, Dr. Audrey Morgan and the Bailey Foundation, brings total gifts to KSU of over $11 million.
The gift includes $4 million to advance the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Music Scholarship and $1 million to establish the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Honors Music Scholarship, which will receive matching funds through an earlier gift to KSU Journey Honors College from John and Rosemary Brown.
In recognition of the gift, the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia has approved the naming of the School of Music as the Dr. Bobbie Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University.
“The strong relationship between KSU and the Bailey Foundation continues to grow with this generous gift that will greatly impact student success at Kennesaw State,” said KSU President Pamela Whitten. “Dr. Bailey’s commitment to music, nursing, and athletics at KSU, has impacted generations of students. Our School of Music is a vital part of our campus and the greater Atlanta community. The naming of the Bailey School of Music recognizes the excellence that defines the College of the Arts at KSU.”
The gift is the largest contribution to the College of the Arts in its history, as well as one of the largest donations from a single organization to Kennesaw State University. The donation will be devoted in full to student scholarships housed within the KSU College of the Arts.
Dr. Bobbie Bailey and the Bailey Foundation have a long history of supporting Kennesaw State University, with over 22 donations since 1993. The philanthropy on behalf of the university includes the Dr. Bobbie Bailey and Family Performance Center; the donation of 27 Steinway pianos to the School of Music, designating it as an All-Steinway School; and the Audrey and Jack Morgan Concert Hall, in honor of her sister and brother-in- law. Dr. Bailey also provided financial support for KSU athletics, leading to the naming of the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Athletic Complex and Bailey Park, home to the university’s softball team. The Bailey Foundation also established the Dr. Bobbie Bailey Endowed Nursing Scholarship in 2018-2019.
“Dr. Bailey appreciated and enjoyed music, and believed in the value of music education. This gift will help us advance her passion and achieve Dr. Bailey’s vision for the creation of a nationally ranked premiere collegiate music program at KSU,” said Ivan Pulinkala, dean of the College. “I am grateful to Dr. Audrey Morgan and the Bailey Foundation for helping us advance our educational and artistic mission, and to COTA founding Dean Joseph D. Meeks who established the School of Music.”
