Nancy Hoffmann will honor her late husband with the Nancy and Jack Hoffmann ’99 Academic Programming Endowment. This gift establishes new support for academic programming at the Weatherspoon Art Museum including stipends for guest speakers, funds related to faculty/student-curated exhibitions, and other promotions that develop the strong academic relationship between the museum and UNCG.

“This generous gift enhances our ability to integrate art into teaching and learning in dynamic, inclusive, and intellectually rich ways,” says Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Endowed Director Juliette Bianco. “It will allow us to say ‘yes’ more often – to a faculty member who wants to bring their class, to a student intern’s exhibition project, or to a visiting scholar.” 

Nancy Hoffmann sees the impact of the Weatherspoon on students. “This museum is a space that students and faculty members are using on a consistent basis,” she says. “It’s a fabulous place to find your creativity.”

Her own love of art has been a life-long affair. “I vividly remember I had a third-grade teacher who introduced us to good art and to good music. And I somehow caught that love from her.”

Nancy Hoffmann has been a fixture of the arts, philanthropy, and local government in and around Greensboro for decades. She’s had careers in textiles and apparel and executive search and consulting. A dedicated public servant, she served on the Greensboro City Council for 14 years.

In addition to Hoffmann’s own relationship with the Weatherspoon, her gift is made in memory of her husband, Jack. After a career in business, Jack Hoffmann completed a master’s degree in history at UNCG in 1999. Why? To pursue a deeper understanding of events that he himself lived through.

Jack Hoffmann grew up in Vienna, Austria. His family fled the Nazi government, and he was one of about 10,000 minors who were moved out of German-controlled territory and into England through the “kindertransport,” or “children’s transport.” His parents emigrated to the United States separately, arriving in early 1940. Later that year, Jack was able to join them in New York City.

Jack’s experience and education led him to become a member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust. He created a presentation that is still used to educate young people today: “The Kindertransport Journey: Memory into History.”

“Jack really loved UNCG,” says Nancy. “He said to me that if he had his life to live over again, he would have been in academia and not in business. We shared a love of learning and exploring. I was very lucky to have shared 33 years with him.”

Nancy Hoffmann first heard about the Weatherspoon from a neighbor who called it a “hidden gem.” Hoffmann recalls, “Over the years I thought, ‘I don’t want it to be hidden anymore. I want the Weatherspoon Art Museum to be very visible!” 

Today, she has gotten her wish. “We have this fabulous, wonderful museum with a renowned collection of contemporary art,” she says. “I would like the greater Greensboro community to know about that and to participate at whatever level they might like to.” 

Her impact is felt deeply, says Bianco. “We are profoundly grateful to Nancy Hoffmann for her vision and generosity. Nancy’s belief in the power of art to enrich education – and her investment in that belief – will benefit generations of learners.”

This gift is part of UNCG’s Light the Way: The Campaign for Earned Achievement, which has raised more than $200 million to increase access, elevate academic excellence, and enhance the tremendous impact of UNCG’s programs. Visit lighttheway.uncg.edu for additional information.