Pat Croce, the West Chester University alumni and local sports legend who took over ownership of the  Philadelphia 76ers and dramatically turned them from one of the worst teams in the NBA into one of the best, is adding to his legendary status with a generous donation of $250,000 to the university’s Center for Contemplative Studies, writes Candice Monhollan for Daily Local News. The announcement of the donation, which will be made by Croce and his wife Diana, was made by the WCU on Thursday.  

“This is a very special program to announce a major expansion of our Center for Contemplative Studies thanks to the generosity of Pat and Diane Croce,” commented Mark Pavlovich, Vice President for Advancement and Research and Sponsored Programs at the university. “WCU will be positioned to provide our students and campus community with an unprecedented access to contemplative practice, including mindfulness education.”

Croce decided on the donation to this specific program after following his own journey to inner strength and peacefulness through contemplative studies, among them yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Croce, who spoke to gathered students and staff at the university’s Alumni and Foundation building, said that while leadership has been natural for him for a long time, mindfulness represents a new life experience for him.

“I’m extremely anxious and excited about it,” he added. “I’ve realized that my leadership career has a wide path. I’ve realized that it wasn’t ‘me,’ but it was ‘we.’ I’ve worked with amazing individuals. It’s a ‘we’ game when you’re talking about leadership.”

The university, which has offered a minor in Contemplative Studies as well as acting as a stress reduction center for the past ten years can now, thanks to Pat Croce’s donation, grow the center both academically and physically. The funds will go to a dedicated space that can be allocated for people to go learn and practice the studies and also to increasing the staff.

“We are presently hanging our shingle at Sykes in Room 209,” remarked Christine Moriconi, co-founder of the Contemplative Studies at the university. “We do meditations with our graduate assistants.”