Emerson Alumni Hall

Emerson Alumni Hall. University of Florida. , Emerson Alumni Hall is made possible by William “Bill” and Jane Emerson, both of whom epitomize the Gator spirit. Their vision was that “Emerson Alumni Hall assist young people into the future and help many alumni find their way back to the present. It should remind us all of the matchless value of our experience at the University of Florida and inspire us to want to give back something of what we gained here.”, Jane attended classes before UF officially became coeducational, while Bill worked toward a bachelor’s degree in business administration. As a young married couple, they lived in Flavet Village alongside other married World War II veterans .Bill was a committed student, active in Florida Blue Key and Phi Delta Theta fraternity., Upon graduating in 1946, Bill joined Merrill Lynch, retiring 40 years later as the senior vice president and national sales director. However, the Emersons never strayed far from their alma mater. Bill served as president of the UF Foundation Board of Directors and received UF’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1989. , The Emersons provided a transformational gift to construct a much-needed alumni building. Emerson Alumni Hall opened its doors to the Gator Nation in 2002. Dubbed by then-UF President Charles Young as “the living room of the University of Florida,” the building provides multi-use meeting space for alumni, faculty, retired faculty, staff and students. It has become an architectural and campus landmark., UF is grateful to Bill and Jane Emerson for their generous philanthropy and foresight to provide this important resource to Gators for many generations to come.