The University of California San Diego has announced a $25 million gift from alumnus Taner Halıcıoğlu (’96) for construction of its Triton Alumni and Welcome Center.

The center, slated for completion in 2026, will consist of four buildings and include a boardroom, lounge, and library, as well as hoteling space, meeting rooms, and exhibition space for alumni. In addition to Halıcıoğlu, whose commitment is the largest to date, other donors include Sandra Timmons (’81) and Richard L. Sandstrom (’72, PhD ’79), who pledged $2 million, and James S. Kaplan (’84), who pledged $250,000.

“I am full of hope and excitement about the Triton Alumni and Welcome Center and the many possibilities that it will open up,” said Halıcıoğlu, who held engineering and operations roles at ebay, Facebook, and Blizzard Entertainment. “Connections with other students filled with big ideas, faculty who challenge us to aim higher and fellow alumni who share our desire to make change in the world have, for me, always been at the heart of UC San Diego’s identity. My hope is that this gift will inspire others to join me in supporting this historic campus project.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/xaviernau)