Education

The self-styled supercomputer visionary who secretly pledged $100 million to Portland State University has been spinning grandiose tales of success to public officials, industry insiders and prospective investors for two decades. But an analysis of public documents left in John Michael Fitzpatrick’s wake, from Boardman, Ore., to Washington, D.C., turns up no evidence of the…

Portland State University administrators hoped to unveil the largest gift in the school's 69-year history Tuesday, a bombshell $100 million anonymous donation. Portland State had invited Gov. Kate Brown and Portland Mayor Charlie Hales to a Tuesday morning news conference announcing the unrestricted contribution by a man described as a former student. The gift would…

A $20-million donation to the financially troubled Paul Smith’s College in rural upstate New York is in limbo, dependent on whether the college agrees to rename itself, a controversial issue that has landed the matter in court. Joan Weill, a longtime board member and benefactor to Paul Smith’s College and the wife of Wall Street…

NPQ has reported on large university foundations in the past, with an emphasis on the debate over whether public policy should be changed to force more endowed funds to be disbursed to fund scholarships and salaries. The largest U.S. universities have billions in endowments (and growing); meanwhile, tuitions continue to rise, and the nation’s student…

The University of Akron has announced that NBA star LeBron James has pledged up to $42 million to provide four-year scholarships to 1,100 underserved students in the city. To be awarded through the LeBron James Family Foundation, the scholarships will cover tuition and general service fees—currently $9,500 per year—for qualifying middle and high school students…

The school year's opening bell has yet to ring, and already a multitude of children are preparing to sell candy bars, cookie dough and coupon books. School fundraising season is here, with children and their parents pitching family, friends and cornered co-workers to support everything from cheerleading competitions to new band uniforms. Like it or…

After years of lackluster fundraising, Rutgers University says it is bringing in more money from donors than ever before. The state university today said it raised a record $187.9 million during the 2014-15 academic year—nearly 30 percent more than last year's record $148.4 million in donations. Rutgers president Robert Barchi said the level of giving…

After a record year of private gifts, Clemson University is closing in on its $1 billion fundraising goal for its “The Will to Lead” capital campaign. Private gifts to the university totaled $136.6 million for the 2014-15 fiscal year, bringing the multi-year campaign’s total to $934 million. Clemson is entering the “home stretch” of its…

Colorado State University has announced a $10 million gift from the Helen K. and Arthur E. Johnson Foundation to build a new teaching equine hospital, promote equine medicine, and provide specialty care for horses. The gift will support construction of a 180,000-square-foot-facility on CSU's Fort Collins campus, where 27 equine clinicians will care for approximately…

Paul Smith's College in upstate New York has announced that the State Board of Regents has approved its request to add Joan Weill's name alongside that of the school's founding family in recognition of her longtime support. Pending approval of the name change by a New York State court, Joan and Sanford Weill have pledged…