Wildcat legend Steve Kerr's international upbringing sparked a curiosity about the world, a love of travel and a lifelong embrace of cultural diversity. Now, he and his wife Margot, also a U of A graduate, have made a gift commitment of $1 million to support study abroad scholarships for students in the University of Arizona College of Humanities. 

"If you've ever studied abroad, whether you were a U of A student or went to another school, you know the importance and the value of traveling, of experiencing a different culture," Kerr said. "There's no experience like traveling, especially as a college student, when you are old enough to really appreciate it but young enough to have some freedom and to see how the world is forming before your eyes." 

The gift supports the University of Arizona's core goal – student success – as outlined by President Suresh Garimella. It marks the third major gift this fall toward study abroad scholarships, following last week's announcement of an estate gift from Susan K. Von Kersburg that includes a $1 million endowment for Baird Scholars to study abroad and the Garcia Family Foundation's $20 million pledge in September.

"Steve and Margot are inspirational models for what our Wildcats can achieve with an intercultural perspective and education," Garimella said. "We have made it a key institutional priority to triple study abroad participation because we believe that an international education can be a life-changing experience. We are grateful for the Kerrs' generosity and commitment to expanding horizons for what our students can achieve in a global context."

The Kerr Family Endowment for Humanities Abroad will fund scholarships for students in study abroad programs led by College of Humanities faculty. Faculty-led programs currently include opportunities to study in Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Japan. 

"Having grown up overseas and traveled throughout my childhood, I realize and recognize how important cultural exchange and studying abroad can be and I wanted to help provide that opportunity for other humanities students at the U of A," Kerr said. "My family and I made the decision that we felt really strongly that this would be a great way to contribute to the school that we love and to the students who are following my footsteps in the humanities." 

Kerr, an NBA champion, award-winning coach, social justice advocate, philanthropist and beloved Wildcat, received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree at the 2024 U of A Commencement. Kerr graduated in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in general studies. Margot Kerr also graduated from the U of A in 1988. 

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Kerr lived much of his childhood abroad, spending time in Egypt, France and Tunisia, and says his childhood was essentially "living the humanities." He says it changed his worldview.

"For me, it was the experience of living in Cairo, Egypt for three years as a teenager, seeing poverty like I had never seen before, and yet seeing many of these people living pretty happy lives. There's still the idea of community and sports and art and music and things that bring joy to people's lives," Kerr said. 

Alain-Philippe Durand, Dorrance Dean of the College of Humanities, said study abroad typically makes a similar impression on students. 

"Studying abroad is one of the best educational experiences anyone can have," Durand said. "In the College of Humanities, our faculty-led programs are tremendously important for students in improving their language skills, gaining a broader worldview, learning how to navigate unfamiliar situations and finding new confidence in themselves. Studying abroad is life-changing, and we are thrilled that Steve and Margot Kerr are partnering with us to make these opportunities available to more students." 

Kerr will also join the College of Humanities as an honorary professor, with plans to guest lecture in the future. 

"As a student, I really gravitated toward the things I loved – reading and writing. I just wanted to have a well-rounded education and be prepared for whatever I was facing. And I can tell you today as a coach, I use that humanities education every single day," he said. "That's something you don't realize as a college student. Your education is going to factor in no matter what you do for a living. But if you lean into what you really love and the subjects that you enjoy, you find a way to connect it to whatever your life course happens to be." 

Kerr is well known for his advocacy for both racial justice and gun violence prevention. The Kerr family has a long history of supporting scholarships and research. In 2017, Kerr's mother, Ann Zwicker Kerr-Adams, along with Steve and his siblings, created the Kerr Family Centennial Scholars Endowment at the UCLA Center for Near Eastern Studies.       

"I am grateful for Steve and Margot's commitment to U of A students," said John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation. "Thanks to the endowment they've created, generations of students in the Humanities will be able to study the world's languages and cultures outside of the classroom, as well as inside. It's a profound legacy for this campus."

The gift also contributes to the university's $3 billion fundraising campaign, which supports student success, faculty research and initiatives across campus.