(NAME-MCE) Another Anonymous Gift for University With Female President

[Anselmo Villanueva]

Another Anonymous Gift for University With Female President

The anonymous donor is back -- this time with $10 million for Michigan State
University, most of which will be designated for financial aid. The donation
appears to be part of a pattern, first reported by the Associated Press, of
institutions led by female presidents receiving seven-figure gifts on the
condition that most of the money be used for financial aid and that the
universities not attempt to identify the donor.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-michiganst-donati,0,2559585.story

Michigan State gets $10 million from mystery donor By TIM MARTIN |Associated
Press Writer1:39 PM CDT, April 23, 2009

LANSING, Mich. - A donor who wishes to remain anonymous has given Michigan
State University<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/michigan-state-university-OREDU0000045.topic>a
$10 million gift.

While it's not guaranteed the donation announced Thursday is connected to a
string of at least a dozen others given anonymously to universities and
colleges in recent weeks, it sure seems likely. All the institutions are led
by women. The universities don't know who is donating the money and aren't
supposed to try and find out, which is a fairly unusual request.

"The donor has asked to remain anonymous," said Robert Groves, Michigan
State's vice president for university advancement. "We haven't done a lot of
detective work that would be interpreted as not honoring those wishes."

Like other recent donations, Michigan State's came about indirectly. The
university said officials at the financial institution which distributed the
money have assured the East Lansing school it came from legal sources
through the anonymous donor.
 Michigan State may have received the largest individual gift of all in the
recent donation streak. Most of the money will go toward financial aid and
scholarships for students, particularly welcome in the current economic
downturn.

Other gifts from the anonymous donor or donors have ranged from $1 million
to $8 million. The total, including the Michigan State gift, has surpassed
$70 million.

The institutions receiving the cash are varied, ranging from large public
universities to small, private colleges. Recipients include Purdue
University<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/purdue-university-OREDU0000050.topic>,
the University of
Iowa<http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/education/colleges-universities/university-of-iowa-OREDU000042.topic>,
the University of North Carolina at Asheville, Binghamton University in New
York and Kalamazoo College in Michigan.

Michigan State's donor has requested that $7 million be used for financial
aid and scholarships, including programs that enhance educational
opportunities for women and minority students. The other $3 million is an
unrestricted donation.

"I am immensely pleased that a donor would recognize the importance of
investing in Michigan State University and specifically access for our
students at this difficult economic time," university President Lou Anna
Simon said in a statement. "Contributions such as this are paramount to our
ongoing success, and I am deeply grateful for the generosity of this donor."


-----------------------------------------------

http://news.msu.edu/story/6232/

MSU receives anonymous $10 million gift; donation will provide aid,
scholarships and fund top university priorities

*Contact: * Kent Cassella, University Relations, Cell: (517) 599-8537,
Direct: (517) 353-1772,
Kent.Cassella at ur.msu.edu<Kent.Cassella at ur.msu.edu?subject=MSU%20News&body=Title:%20MSU%20receives%20anonymous%20%2410%20million%20gift%3B%20donation%20will%20provide%20aid%2C%20scholarships%20and%20fund%20top%20university%20priorities%0A%0APublished%20Date:%20April%2023,%202009%20%0A>;
Robert Groves, University Advancement, Office: (517) 884-1008,
grovesr at msu.edu<grovesr at msu.edu?subject=MSU%20News&body=Title:%20MSU%20receives%20anonymous%20%2410%20million%20gift%3B%20donation%20will%20provide%20aid%2C%20scholarships%20and%20fund%20top%20university%20priorities%0A%0APublished%20Date:%20April%2023,%202009%20%0A>

*Published: April 23, 2009 *

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University has announced the receipt of
a $10 million cash donation from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, a
gift that will be primarily used for financial aid and scholarships.



The gift includes a $7 million donation that the donor has requested be used
toward financial aid and scholarships, including those that enhance
educational opportunities for women and minority students, as well as a $3
million unrestricted donation that will enable the university to advance its
top priorities.



“I am immensely pleased that a donor would recognize the importance of
investing in Michigan State University and specifically access for our
students at this difficult economic time,” said MSU President Lou Anna K.
Simon. “A gift of this magnitude demonstrates an understanding of the value
of MSU and the impact our mission has upon individuals, their communities
and our world. Contributions such as this are paramount to our ongoing
success, and I am deeply grateful for the generosity of this donor.”



The financial aid and scholarships portion of the gift will significantly
enhance MSU’s ability to help students in need during this critical period,
according to MSU Provost Kim Wilcox.



“Many of our students and their families are feeling the pinch of the
current economic downturn,” Wilcox said. “At the same time, the importance
of a college education has never been greater. This gift will allow MSU to
make a substantial difference by helping many students complete their
journey toward becoming college graduates.”



Robert Groves, MSU vice president for university advancement, believes the
gift will help inspire others.



“The partnership of our alumni, donors and friends is crucial in supporting
MSU’s endeavors to keep costs down and to provide private scholarships and
emergency financial aid,” Groves said. “We are profoundly thankful for this
gift which exemplifies an immeasurable spirit of optimism in MSU as an
exceptional and vital institution that makes a difference in our world.”



Officials at the financial institution which distributed the funds to MSU
have assured the university that these funds came from legal sources by an
anonymous donor.

The donation is the largest single anonymous gift from an individual the
university has received for student scholarships. MSU has been working to
increase general university scholarship funds for the recruitment and
retention of undergraduate students. MSU awards a number of scholarships,
many of which are made possible by alumni and friends of the university.



###



Michigan State University has been advancing knowledge and transforming
lives through innovative teaching, research and outreach for more than 150
years. MSU is known internationally as a major public university with global
reach and extraordinary impact. Its 17 degree-granting colleges attract
scholars worldwide who are interested in combining education with practical
problem solving.