Education
Texas Tech receives $30M estate gift, largest in university’s history - KCBD
Texas Tech received a $30 million estate gift to its Edward E.
President Lawrence Schovanec said the money will go toward endowed scholarships, professorships, new facilities, and upgrades to existing ones. The goal, he said, is to help recruit more students and faculty to the engineering college.
For people here, that kind of money moves the needle. Endowed scholarships mean more West Texas kids who might not otherwise afford a Tech engineering degree could get one. New professorships attract research talent, which tends to pull in more grant funding and industry partnerships down the line. Better facilities make the college more competitive when high school seniors are deciding where to go.
Schovanec called the gift humbling, describing it as a family's way of paying forward what Texas Tech gave them and making the same opportunity available to others.
The Whitacre College of Engineering already carries the name of a major donor, former AT&T chairman Ed Whitacre, who gave $25 million in 2006. This new $30 million estate gift tops that, setting a new bar for what a single donation to Texas Tech looks like.
Common questions
What is the $30 million gift to Texas Tech going toward?
- The money will fund endowed scholarships, professorships, new facilities, and upgrades to existing ones at the Whitacre College of Engineering. President Lawrence Schovanec said the goal is to recruit more students and faculty to the engineering program.
How does this donation help West Texas students?
- Endowed scholarships created by the gift could help West Texas students who might not otherwise afford a Texas Tech engineering degree. New professorships and better facilities also make the college more competitive when high school seniors are choosing where to study.
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