Emory University’s Oxford College alumnus Art Vinson, and his wife, Laurie, have made a planned gift to support the fundraising effort for a new science building on the Oxford campus. By designating the school as the beneficiary of a fully paid life insurance policy, the Vinsons are able to provide a leadership gift to the project.

"Art Vinson’s leadership has been invaluable to Oxford over the years, and the couple’s gift speaks volumes about their longstanding commitment to our students and our campus," said Stephen H. Bowen, dean of Oxford. "We are so fortunate they are part of the Oxford community of alumni and friends."

The building is one of Oxford’s priorities in Campaign Emory, a comprehensive fundraising effort to improve aging facilities, build much-needed new ones, strengthen key programs, and support teaching, learning, research, patient care and community service throughout the university.

The new science building will offer multidisciplinary classrooms with the latest educational technologies, student and faculty research laboratories, a greenhouse and gardens, an astronomy observation deck, and outdoor teaching and collaborative spaces. Initial plans include a roof that will promote water conservation, improve insulation, and provide gardens for teaching.

The Vinsons are Atlanta residents.

Art Vinson, an account executive for a high-performance information and communications technology company, Logicalis, was a biology major at Oxford and Emory. A member of the Oxford Board of Counselors, he has been president of the Oxford Alumni Association and a volunteer for Oxford’s parent and alumni recruitment networks. In 2002 he was awarded the Outstanding Alumnus Award.

Laurie Vinson, who has spent her career in the health care diagnostics industry, has joined her husband in making financial gifts to Oxford for more than 25 years. Their five children are Oxford alumni.

"One of the reasons we made this gift was to encourage our peers to explore and use innovative ways to give," Art Vinson said. "Oxford alumni cherish and nourish deep affections from their tenure on campus. As they become aware of Oxford’s current programs, the accomplishments of students, and the scope of scholarship exhibited here today, they feel an even greater sense of pride in their own degrees."