Continuing his support to the state’s college students five years after his retirement, former University System of Georgia Chancellor Steve Wrigley and his wife Lynne dedicated a study room at the University of Georgia’s Miller Learning Center.
The Wrigley Study is located in the busiest academic building on campus, a UGA Libraries facility named for late Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller. Wrigley served as Governor Miller’s chief of staff for five years.
“Without question, the University of Georgia and our state have benefitted as a result of Steve’s dedication to excellence and long-standing commitment to serving the public good,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said at the naming ceremony. “Steve and Lynne’s generosity has touched so much of the university’s campus, and their investment in our libraries will leave a legacy that will benefit the UGA community for generations to come.”
Wrigley championed library services during his time in the governor’s office and during his tenure at the University System of Georgia, supporting the GALILEO virtual library system that for 30 years has provided online resources to aid learning across Georgia as well as an affordable course materials initiative that has saved college students $208 million in textbook costs. As a UGA administrator, Wrigley played key roles leading to the construction of the MLC and Russell Special Collections Building. Wrigley is a trustee of the Richard B. Russell Foundation, which supports the Russell Library for Political Research and Studies and other organizations and causes across the University. The Steve Wrigley papers and oral history interviews documenting his public service career are housed at the Russell Library.
Lynne Wrigley, an actuary and consultant, has served as an ambassador for Georgia’s universities, and with her husband has supported needs-based scholarships for students.
“Steve and Lynne are true friends to libraries at UGA and across Georgia,” said University Librarian and Associate Provost Toby Graham. “The MLC’s rooms like the Wrigley study are the most coveted study spaces on campus available to all students; where they spend countless hours poring over course material or collaborating on projects together. … It is heartwarming to think about all the students whose academic journey will bring them to the MLC and to the Wrigley Study in the years to come.”
As part of their gift, the Wrigleys dedicated the study room to Miller, adding an inscription on the plaque with a quote from his mentor and friend to serve as inspiration for students: “There’s a difference between knowledge and wisdom.”