NBA Champion Steve Kerr Just Gave $1 Million to His Old College — Here's the Personal Reason Why

"My Childhood Was Essentially 'Living the Humanities'"

Steve Kerr has nine NBA championship rings—five as a player, four as a coach. He makes approximately $35 million annually coaching the Warriors. He's led Team USA to Olympic gold.

But ask him what shaped him most, and he'll talk about three years living in Cairo as a teenager.

"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," Kerr said. "There's still the idea of community and sports and art and music and things that bring joy to people's lives."

That experience—growing up in Beirut, Lebanon, then spending years in Egypt, France, and Tunisia—didn't just give him a global perspective. It shaped how he leads his team, how he advocates for social justice, and now, how he's giving back to the university that gave him his start.

On October 31, Kerr and his wife Margot announced a $1 million gift to the University of Arizona's College of Humanities to fund study abroad scholarships.

"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 Professor Dad Who Changed Everything

Kerr's international childhood wasn't accidental—it was the result of his father's academic career.

Malcolm Kerr was a professor of Middle East history at UCLA for 20 years, frequently taking sabbaticals that brought the family overseas. Steve was born in Beirut in 1965, where his father was teaching at American University of Beirut.

The family lived abroad for much of Steve's childhood. Those years weren't just educational—they were formative.

"My childhood was essentially 'living the humanities,'" Kerr says.

Tragically, Malcolm Kerr was assassinated by terrorists in Beirut in 1984 while serving as president of American University of Beirut. Steve was a sophomore at Arizona at the time.

The loss devastated the family, but it also deepened Steve's commitment to the values his father represented: cross-cultural understanding, education, and the belief that knowledge can bridge divides.

In 2017, Kerr's mother Ann Zwicker Kerr-Adams, along with Steve and his siblings, created the Kerr Family Centennial Scholars Endowment at UCLA's Center for Near Eastern Studies—honoring their father's legacy.

Now, Steve is extending that legacy to his own alma mater.

"My Childhood Was Essentially 'Living the Humanities'"

From Tucson to the World

Kerr arrived at the University of Arizona in 1983 and played basketball for legendary coach Lute Olson from 1983-1988. He became one of the greatest shooters in college basketball history, earning Second Team All-American honors in 1988.

But basketball was only part of his education.

Kerr graduated in 1988 with a bachelor's degree in general studies, emphasizing history, sociology, and English.

"As a student, I really gravitated toward the things I loved – reading and writing," Kerr said. "I just wanted to have a well-rounded education and be prepared for whatever I was facing."

That humanities education has proven more valuable than he realized as a college student.

"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."

The Travel That Shaped a Champion

After his sophomore year at Arizona, the Wildcats took a three-week trip to Europe, playing games in France, Italy, and Holland against club and national teams.

"We traveled together, playing games against club teams and national teams, not only improving our team's play but giving many of our players their first taste of international travel," Kerr wrote in an opinion column for the Arizona Daily Star. "My Wildcat teammates remain some of my best friends on Earth, and we still talk about our experience together overseas."

Basketball continued taking Kerr around the world throughout his playing career. He won five NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls (three) and San Antonio Spurs (two), playing alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Tim Duncan.

As a coach, he's led the Golden State Warriors to four championships and Team USA to Olympic gold.

"I didn't realize it then, but the combined experience of living in different cultures, learning to speak new languages, and playing basketball in different countries taught me about life, about people and a shared experience of humanity," Kerr wrote.

"Much of my worldview, my perspective and my ability to connect with people really stems from those experiences."

Meeting Margot: A Wildcats Love Story

Steve wasn't the only Kerr who fell in love with the University of Arizona.

He met his wife Margot while they were both students at U of A. She also graduated in 1988.

The couple has maintained deep connections to the university throughout their lives. Steve previously donated $1 million to McKale Center renovations and has been a visible supporter of Wildcats athletics.

In May 2024, Steve received an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree at U of A's commencement ceremony. His mother Ann also received an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters at the same ceremony.

Now, Steve and Margot are making their most significant academic gift to the university.

What the $1 Million Will Fund

The Kerr Family Endowment for Humanities Abroad will provide scholarships for College of Humanities students participating in faculty-led study abroad programs.

Current programs operate in:

• Latin America: Costa Rica, Argentina, Brazil
• Western Europe: Spain, Italy, France, Germany
• Asia: Japan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan

These aren't generic tourist experiences. They're academic programs led by U of A faculty who are experts in local languages and cultures, giving students significant educational advantages.

"Studying abroad is one of the best educational experiences anyone can have," said Alain-Philippe Durand, Dorrance Dean of the College of Humanities. "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."

Durand notes that study abroad is "life-changing"—echoing Kerr's own experience.

The Ambitious Long-Term Goal

Kerr's vision extends beyond this initial $1 million.

He told Dean Durand that his ultimate goal is "building an endowment big enough to provide every humanities student at the U of A the opportunity to spend part of their college experience overseas."

"It is an ambitious project, but one I believe is quite possible, and one that will reap rewards for every future Wildcat in the College of Humanities with a desire to see the world," Kerr wrote.

That would require millions more in funding, but Kerr believes it's achievable—and essential.

"In a world that seems increasingly divided and tense, it has never been more important for a connection among people and culture, and shared values of humanity and compassion," he wrote.

Honorary Professor Steve Kerr

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

Dean Durand said they're still figuring out Kerr's specific role but noted (with a laugh) that he's obviously keeping his position as Warriors head coach.

Honorary professors sometimes teach classes; in other cases, they serve as consultants or guest lecturers.

Given Kerr's schedule coaching an NBA team, expect guest appearances rather than regular teaching—but the symbolism matters.

One of the world's most successful basketball coaches is formally joining a humanities faculty, sending a powerful message about the value of liberal arts education.

Part of a Bigger Movement

The Kerr gift is the third major donation this fall supporting study abroad at U of A:

September 2025: The Garcia Family Foundation pledged $20 million for study abroad initiatives

October 2025: Susan K. Von Kersburg made an estate gift including a $1 million endowment for Baird Scholars to study abroad

October 2025: Steve and Margot Kerr committed $1 million for humanities students

Total: $22 million toward study abroad scholarships this fall alone.

U of A President Suresh Garimella has made tripling study abroad participation a key institutional priority.

"Steve and Margot are inspirational models for what our Wildcats can achieve with an intercultural perspective and education," Garimella said. "We are grateful for the Kerrs' generosity and commitment to expanding horizons for what our students can achieve in a global context."

The gifts contribute to U of A's $3 billion fundraising campaign supporting student success, faculty research, and campus initiatives.

Why Humanities Matter to Kerr

In an era when STEM fields dominate education policy discussions, Kerr's passionate advocacy for humanities education stands out.

"The College of Humanities at the U of A has become one of the best liberal arts institutions in the nation and an example for other schools to follow, and I want to make it even stronger," Kerr wrote.

He believes humanities education provides essential skills for any career—including coaching professional athletes.

"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."

The humanities teach:

• Critical thinking and analysis
• Communication and writing
• Understanding different perspectives
• Connecting ideas across disciplines
• Empathy and cultural awareness

All skills that prove invaluable whether you're coaching NBA superstars or navigating complex social issues—both things Kerr does regularly.

The Social Justice Connection

Kerr is well known for speaking out on social issues including racial justice and gun violence prevention.

That activism stems directly from his international upbringing and humanities education.

Understanding different cultures, seeing poverty alongside resilience in Cairo, learning about his father's work promoting cross-cultural understanding—these experiences shaped Kerr's worldview and his willingness to use his platform for advocacy.

His philanthropy reflects these values:

• $250,000 for college scholarships for low-income students in California's East Bay
• Donations to disaster relief, mental health, and children's welfare
• The UCLA Near Eastern Studies endowment honoring his father
• Now, funding international education for future Wildcats

The Legacy Impact

John-Paul Roczniak, president and CEO of the University of Arizona Foundation, highlighted the enduring nature of Kerr's gift.

"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," Roczniak said. "It's a profound legacy for this campus."

Because the gift creates an endowment rather than one-time scholarships, it will fund study abroad experiences in perpetuity. Students in 2050, 2075, and beyond will benefit from the Kerr family's generosity.