Journalism school officials announced a $4.4 million private donation yesterday, more than doubling the source of private funding administrators plan to use in building a new $30 million facility.

The donation, provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, was hailed as a leap forward in funding the school’s construction, although journalism dean Thomas Kunkel acknowledged about $13 million in additional donations would be needed to fully fund the project. Officials have not begun soliciting alumni for donations, Kunkel said.

“It is still a challenge, but we are confident that we will meet it,” he said.

Once completed, the building will be named Knight Hall in honor of the donation. The Miami-based Knight Foundation was founded by brothers John and James and is dedicated to “improving journalism worldwide,” according to their website. The Knight brothers are the founders of the large newspaper chain Knight-Ridder, which was purchased by the McClatchy newspaper chain in June.

“In our line of work, in journalism, the Knight name is the gold standard,” Kunkel said during a speech at an event attended by students, journalism faculty and Knight Foundation officials.

The donation will be divided into two parts, officials said, with $2 million put toward the construction of the new building and the remaining $2.4 million allocated for the Knight Center for the Future of Journalism, which will bring together all Knight-funded programs currently housed at the college’s building next to McKeldin Library.

“We are here at Maryland because the college is extremely important to the future of journalism,” said Alberto Ibargüen, president of the Knight Foundation. “We believe that journalism should lead, and [the new building] will be a hub of journalism activity in that regard.”

Officials said construction of the new building, which will be located near Tawes Theater, is slated to begin construction in early 2008. Director of Architecture, Engineering and Construction Carlo Colella said design plans for the new building are set to begin in November and will be finalized by next January.

In April, Gov. Robert Ehrlich approved a proposal to assign $10 million of the university’s construction budget toward work on a new journalism building. Kunkel said the Knight Foundation’s grant played into the decision to assign more funds to what officials say will be a state-of-the-art facility.

Kunkel said he wants students to be a big part of the design process, and is planning a committee with student members to make suggestions and work with architects and university officials on plans.

“I really want [the new journalism building] to be a student-oriented facility, and I am confident that’s what it will be,” Kunkel said.

Although the new building will carry the name of the Knight brothers, the actual college of journalism will continue to be named for Philip Merrill, the late Annapolis publisher who donated $10 million to the college in 2001.

The Knight Foundation previously contributed $3 million to the building fund in 2002, according to Knight Foundation spokeswoman Sharon Moshavi.

“I cannot imagine a better name going on this journalism building,” Kunkel said. “We will work hard to live up to it.”

Contact reporter Kelly Whittaker at whittakerdbk@gmail.com.