Western Michigan University receives record-breaking $550M donation

This seems like the best forum for the content, all things considered. I'm flabbergasted at the amount, it's the biggest private donation to a college/university that I've ever heard of. ANYWHERE globally.

Western Michigan University receives record-breaking $550M donation

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Anonymous donors gifted Western Michigan University $550 million, the largest ever gift to a public university, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The donation from anonymous university alumni breaks the previous record for a private donation of $500 million in 2016 to the University of Oregon, the Washington Post said.

The university is planning a news conference Tuesday, June 8, to announce a “transformational development that will strengthen the university community for generations to come,” according to a press release from the university.

www.mlive.com...


I'm not even sure if this is a good thing, or a bad thing. But judging by the comment of, "“transformational development that will strengthen the university community for generations to come", I'm willing to bet this isn't going to be used to open the education doors for all (so to speak) but rather, to pamper certain groups undeservedly.
Discuss, I'm just plain curious. Circus Sideshow kind of deal, I guess.



Moar Edit:

For whaty it's worth, the article does give a breakdown on how the donation will be used:

WMU’s record-breaking gift will be delivered to the university’s foundation over 10 years where it will flow into three main streams, according to the Washington Post story: $300 million for Western Michigan’s Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine; $200 million for need-based financial aid, faculty hiring and other university initiatives; and $50 million for the school’s Bronco athletic programs.

The amount to the medical school is huge. What are the Pharma industry connections & which one's the alum, I wonder, hmmmm.

Should've kept reading

originally posted by: Bigburgh
a reply to: Nyiah

Homer Stryker? He was an Alumni. His granddaughter Ronda...

In 2014, the Western Michigan University School of Medicine was renamed to the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine after an initial anonymous donation of $100 million was given to the school by Stryker’s granddaughter, Ronda Stryker.

Good for them

I think the Stryker family is definitely possible, but my neighbors don't. Their reasoning being that they already came out about the last anon donation, and that it would stand to reason that everyone would connect dots anyway if they donated again.

One suggested Steve Ballmer (a former Microsoft CEO, but is from edit: Lansing Detroit , I think double-checked) I burst that bubble, because I'm pretty sure he's an East Coast Ivy Leaguer, not a local alumni.

Somebody is gonna get a FAT tax write off.

a reply to: Nyiah

I would rather see it used to educate new health professionals and doctors than see it go to liberal arts crap. Also 200m to help financial aid is huge too. And they even have their sports programs 50m which I am ok with seeing how they bulk is being used.

a reply to: eXia7

Not sure it all came from one somebody as the article references alumni in the plural. I hope the write off benefits them as much as the money will benefit their students.

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: eXia7

Not sure it all came from one somebody as the article references alumni in the plural. I hope the write off benefits them as much as the money will benefit their students.

Yeah lets hope its not squandered away on something useless.

a reply to: Nyiah

Not sure what happened there. Either you made an edit or I saw "Anonymous Donation". As soon as I saw Anonymous I went straight to see the list of Notable Alumni. Either way, S&F🤗

Edit: oh and thank you

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: eXia7

Not sure it all came from one somebody as the article references alumni in the plural. I hope the write off benefits them as much as the money will benefit their students.

alumni can be used as a single male,

from cambridge,

Note: Alumni can be used to refer to men only, and in that case alumnae is used to refer to women only, but more often alumni is used to refer to either or both sexes where both attend the same school. The singular forms are alumnus for a man, and alumna for a woman.
alumni plural noun

originally posted by: RickyD
a reply to: eXia7

Not sure it all came from one somebody as the article references alumni in the plural. I hope the write off benefits them as much as the money will benefit their students.

I noticed that, too. It made it sound like either several family members, or -- and it may be likely here -- several someones/a business hidden behind a trust.

I'm sure the money will benefit, and probably more than I'm giving advance credit for, but...the skeptic within still insists that much money most certainly comes with booku amounts of backroom deals.


Edit: Never mind, Howlie hit us with the clue-by-four -- gender rules in the language were forgotten about. But it doesn't necessarily remove the possibility for a trust.

a reply to: hounddoghowlie

Thanks I learned a new things for the day about a word I thought I knew about. Guess I can pour a drink and be done for the day lol!