Call it a tech boom.
The late Georgia Tech alumnus John W. Durstine has bequeathed the university $100 million, the largest single donation the school has ever received.
The money will go toward Georgia Tech’s George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, according to a press release Thursday. It will fund endowed faculty positions and expand facilities, programs and research.
“This gift will have an enduring impact and will ensure that Georgia Tech faculty have the resources to push the boundaries of mechanical engineering, inspire our students, and help improve the human condition,” Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera said in a news release. “(Durstine’s) legacy will live on in every discovery, every innovation and every student who learns from the faculty his gift supports.”
Mechanical engineering was Durstine’s focus when he attended Georgia Tech in the 1950s. He then earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and worked at the Ford Motor Company for more than 30 years, according to Georgia Tech. He was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 2014.
The $100 million gift to his alma mater is Durstine’s largest, but not his first. Georgia Tech says he began donating to the school in 1978 with a $100 donation and kept giving since then.
“John valued integrity, precision, and results — qualities that define the best engineers,” William Wepfer, professor emeritus and former chair of the Woodruff School, said in a press release. “His gift is as strategic as it is generous, aimed squarely at ensuring Georgia Tech remains a leader in mechanical engineering far into the future.”
The Woodruff school has more than 110 faculty and 3,000 students.
“Durstine’s gift will allow Georgia Tech to attract both early-career rising stars and internationally recognized pioneers of academia, keeping the (Woodruff) School at the forefront of innovation,” the school said.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
