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UNC Names Residence Hall in Honor of Koury

Carolina is honoring the contributions of Burlington businessman Maurice John Koury ’48 today as it re-names a South Campus residence hall in his honor.

Since its completion in 2002, the four-story, state-of-the-art building has been known as Ehringhaus South. A Carolina blue ribbon will be cut on at a 4 p.m. ceremony, with student residents of the building clad in Koury Hall T-shirts participating, as the building is dedicated as Maurice J. Koury Hall.

Koury Hall houses 263 students in a nearly 73,000 square foot space, with suite-style rooms that include two double bedrooms and a shared, semi-private bathroom. Koury is similar to three other South Campus residence halls that were completed with housing revenue bonds in 2002 at a cost of $47 million, or roughly $12 million per building.

Two of the four newer buildings were renamed and dedicated in 2007. One was named in honor of George Moses Horton, a poet and slave in Chatham County in the 19th century who sold produce and verses in Chapel Hill to Carolina students and eventually gained his freedom. The other honors former Chancellor Paul Hardin, who was chancellor from 1988 to 1995. The fourth hall in the group is Craige North.

A Burlington native and a son of Lebanese immigrant parents, Koury majored in chemistry at UNC. After graduation, he joined his brother Ernest in managing Carolina Hosiery, and today he serves as president of Carolina Hosiery Mills Inc. Over the years, his business interests also have included the development of hotels and commercial properties.

Koury is one of the University’s most involved contributors of both service and funds, with broad involvement and support to academic and athletic pursuits. In 1987, Koury endowed the Edna J. Koury Distinguished Professorship in the College of Arts and Sciences as a memorial to his mother. He has donated funds for the Maurice Koury Auditorium in Kenan-Flagler Business School and has endowed funds for dental research in UNC’s School of Dentistry. Other support to Carolina includes contributions to programs in the Division of Student Affairs and a leadership gift to the George Watts Hill Alumni Center, where the Koury Library is located. During his second term as president of the Educational Foundation in 1983-84, Koury led the fundraising drive to finance the Dean E. Smith Center. The natatorium adjacent to the Smith Center is named for him.

Koury served two terms on the Board of Trustees, was on the Board of Visitors and was a member of the Medical Foundation of North Carolina Inc., whose efforts support the UNC School of Medicine. He also was an officer in the General Alumni Association and a member of the Morehead Scholarship Committee.

His honors from Carolina include the GAA’s Distinguished Service Medal (1994), the William Richardson Davie Award (1995) and an honorary doctor of laws degree (2001).

Today’s free public ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. and include remarks from Chancellor James Moeser; Roger Perry, chair of the Board of Trustees; Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Jablonski; and Koury.

Refreshments will be served and guests may tour parts of the building.


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