$15 million gift from Robert and Stefanie Skinner to benefit university athletics
UConn athletics has received a transformative $15 million gift from Robert and Stefanie Skinner, continuing a deep legacy of alumni philanthropy that has played a defining role in elevating the university’s athletic and academic stature.
The 1993 graduates’ latest act of generosity ranks among the largest private donations in UConn sports history and underscores a pattern of giving that mirrors the Huskies’ rise to national prominence across multiple programs.
The Skinners’ commitment will permanently endow coaching support for UConn’s men’s and women’s basketball programs—both of which have long set the national standard for excellence. Five million dollars will create the Geno Auriemma Fund to sustain leadership for the women’s team, while an equal amount will establish the Jim Calhoun and Dan Hurley Endowed Fund for the men’s program.
Partnering with the university, the couple aims to double the endowment, providing long-term stability and competitive resources to attract and retain top coaching talent across generations of players.
The couple’s gift extends beyond basketball, with $2.5 million to bolster core support for UConn football, baseball, men’s soccer, and men’s ice hockey. Another $1 million will advance the planned UConn Golf Facility, a 22‑acre project envisioned to expand the student‑athlete experience and training resources.
The remaining $1.5 million will reinforce athletic directorDavid Benedict’s strategic priorities, allowing flexibility to support emerging opportunities and essential infrastructure investments.
This philanthropic gesture builds on UConn athletics’strong fundraising momentum. In fiscal 2025, 9,323 donors joined in supporting the department—a fifth consecutive year of growth—bringing total commitments to $51.2 million, a 27 percent increase over the previous three‑year average.
Benedict described the Skinners’ support as “an extraordinary statement about belief in UConn Athletics,” noting that their philanthropy strengthens the foundation of the university’s championship culture.
For Robert Skinner, who earned his degree in political science before building a successful career in wealth management and later founding the advisory firm IEQ Capital, such giving stems from gratitude for the institution that helped shape his professional values.
Skinner, one of America’s top wealth advisors and inducted into the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame last year, has long viewed the university’s athletics program as a reflection of leadership, discipline, and consistency that mirror the traits he prizes in business.
“For over four decades, the standard at UConn has been shaped by leadership and a commitment to excellence—on the field, in the classroom, and in the community,” Skinner said.
“What has been built here speaks for itself: a culture defined by consistency at the highest level. This gift is offered with deep gratitude for those who established that standard and with a shared responsibility to ensure it endures for generations to come.”
With their latest donation, the Skinners join a growing circle of UConn benefactors who are translating alumni pride into lasting institutional support. By doing so, they honor the university’s storied past and help secure its competitive and academic legacy for the future.