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An alumnus and former faculty member at Wayne State University and his wife donated $50 million to support the Detroit institution’s College of Engineering. The gift is the largest in Wayne State’s 157-year history.
The university said it will use the gift to fund doctoral fellowships and undergraduate student experiences as well as to create a dean’s fund to recruit researchers focused on mobility, energy storage and AI.
The donor, Jim Anderson, began his career as an instructor in the College of Engineering in 1967 before going on to found Urban Science, a global automotive consultancy and technology firm. The college will be renamed the James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering.
“Since my time as a student, and later a faculty member, at Wayne State University, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of a quality STEM education in transforming lives, economies and communities,” said Anderson. “We’re confident this gift will continue to create new opportunities for high-paying STEM careers, foster innovation and drive progress in the Motor City and beyond.”
Ali Abolmaali, dean of the college, said the Andersons “recognize the huge leap this college can take. With their help, we will bridge knowledge and instruction with student success for generations to come.”
The gift follows the Andersons’ donation in 2014 to establish the James and Patricia Anderson Engineering Ventures Institute at the College of Engineering, which supports commercial applications of technology, securing patents and investing in start-ups.
