02/07/11 -  

Duke Energy CEO and Chairman Jim Rogers and his wife Mary Anne Rogers have given $4.1 million to Queens University of Charlotte, to be used for a new science and health building.

The building will bear their names to honor their generous gift toward the 56,000 square-foot, $17.4 million building.

"This gift will help us enhance learning experiences for our students in the sciences and health professions, and make Queens an even more competitive choice for prospective students," said Queens President Pamela Davies. "Queens has long had an excellent science faculty in a diverse spectrum of fields, as well as creative and inquisitive students with a strong desire to learn."

The building's environmentally conscious design, which will include several more green features because of the Rogers' gift, will earn Platinum LEED certification. It will include a rooftop greenhouse, labs, classrooms and a "green wall" that will run along part of the exterior and be made of native North Carolina plants.

The Rogers Science and Health Building will be home to Queens' biology, chemistry, mathematics, and environmental science programs, and the administrative offices of Blair College of Health. Its construction will begin in May and an opening is planned for fall 2012.

"We are so inspired by Pamela Davies' leadership and her vision for Queens' future and are proud to be part of the university's growth," said Mary Anne Rogers, a member of the Queens Board of Trustees.

"We also see Queens continuing to play an important role in the future of Charlotte," said Jim Rogers. "We want to be supportive of this role in our city and state."