Bowie State University has renamed its performing arts center after Dionne Warwick. The newly renamed arts center will host concerts, plays and various events in the greater Bowie, Maryland area.
“We are very grateful that Dionne Warwick recognizes the value of this storied institution, and for lending her iconic name to the Main Stage Theater inside of our Fine and Performing Arts Center,” Bowie State University Institutional Advancement Vice President Brent Swinton said.
“Given the rich history of artists and performers such as Myles Frost who have originated from this university, the naming is even more appropriate because of Ms. Warwick’s lifelong advocacy for higher education, healthcare and the arts.”
Dionne Warwick was raised in East Orange, New Jersey and attended Hartt College of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut. Warwick ultimately caught the attention of RCA Records while taking on background vocal work in New York. Over the last 65 years, Warwick has appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 more than 50 times, sold 100 million records worldwide and won six Grammy Awards.
In early April, Bowie State University hosted a fundraiser for the newly reamed arts center. Doug E. Fresh, Abby D. Phillip and BeBe Winans were among those in attendance.
“It’s wonderful to know that I have reached a level that I am being appreciated for the work that I have put in, the time I’ve put in,” Warwick told WJZ.
“I’ve earned it.”
