Austin College President Steven P. O’Day, J.D., announced a $6.5 million gift to the College’s endowment at the February meeting of the College’s Board of Trustees.
The bequest, among the largest made in the College’s history, is from the estate of an alumnus who wished to remain anonymous. “This substantial gift to the endowment will ensure the values of Austin College that shaped this alumnus’ own life will be carried into the future, and will help open doors for future generations of students to pursue their dreams,” President O’Day stated. “We gratefully acknowledge the life of this donor—a physician, healer, and legacy-builder who leaves an example by which each of us can remember him.”
Endowed funds provide student scholarships, support faculty, and sustain academic and student programs. The estate gift, along with other gifts announced at the winter board meeting, moves the College’s $125 million POWER Austin College Campaign to 96% of the total goal.
”Since the campaign entered the public phase in November 2018, the generous philanthropy of friends and donors has been evident through their support of our institutional priorities,” said David Corrigan ’81, chair of the Board of Trustees. “We are grateful for the lasting impact of a gift of this magnitude, which will help provide access to an Austin College education for future generations of students.”
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community of approximately 1,300 students and more than 100 expert faculty members. Founded in 1849, the College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.