Stevenson Receives $1 Million Naming Gift from Phyllis and Louis Friedman for New Concert Hall

Stevenson University is pleased to announce a $1 million naming gift from Phyllis and Louis Friedman for the 400-seat concert hall in the new Sandra and Malcolm Berman Family Performing Arts Center, now under construction on Stevenson's North campus. In recognition of this gift, the music venue will be named the Phyllis Cole Friedman Concert Hall.

"Louis and Phyllis Friedman are great friends and supporters of our university and students," said Elliot Hirshman, President of Stevenson University. "The Friedmans' support has been crucial for many projects that have transformed our campus and enhanced our students' educational experience. This gift is the latest example of their generosity, and our university community is very grateful for their deep and abiding friendship and dedication to Stevenson."

Louis Friedman and Phyllis are Partners with the law practice of Friedman & Friedman, LLP in Towson. Louis is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and received the LLM in Taxation from Georgetown University. Phyllis is a graduate of Goucher College, Peabody Institute, Tufts University, and the University of Maryland School of Law.

"Stevenson University, with its focus on the skill sets most needed in the modern world, holds a unique position for us among the many institutions of higher learning in the Metropolitan Baltimore area," said the Friedmans. "The new Berman Performing Arts Center will now be able to offer enrichment opportunities not only for the school, but for the whole community. It is our great honor to be able to participate in this project by sponsoring the Phyllis Cole Friedman Concert Hall."

The Friedmans, on their own and as trustees of other charitable foundations, have been instrumental in many gifts to support Stevenson's growing campus. As trustees of the Philip A. Zaffere Foundation, they were responsible for the naming gift for Stevenson's Philip A. Zaffere Library and the Philip A. Zaffere Amphitheater in 2024. In addition, they have secured gifts to support facilities in the new Berman Family Performing Arts Center, including a gift to name the 225-seat Herman and Walter Samuelson Foundation Theater; the Beverly K. and Jerome M. Fine Foundation Lobby; and the Peggy and Yale Gordon Trust Lighting and Audio Control Booth.

Construction of the new Berman Family Performing Arts Center will be completed in 2026. The 38,000-square-foot facility will be a centerpiece of campus cultural life and serve as a state-of-the-art venue for theater, music, dance, cultural events, fashion shows, and guest speakers. The Center will be adjacent to Stevenson's Philip A. Zaffere Library and join the Manning Academic Center and School of Design, Arts, and Communication as part of Stevenson's North Campus Academic Hub.