Spring Break
Mysterious donor gives millions to colleges led by women
Issue date: 4/30/09
Many are wondering who is anonymously giving millions of dollars to over a dozen colleges, all of which have female leaders.
Some speculate that the donor is a woman who grew up in a time of fewer educational opportunities for women or a group of powerful women who want to ensure success for female university leaders.
The gifts have thus far totaled up to $68.5 million and have been delivered over the past seven weeks in a completely anonymous fashion. Some of the college recipients include Purdue, Montclair, Michigan State University and University of Southern Mississippi. All were given only one condition: not to try to investigate the donor's identity. The donations were in the form of cashier's checks, or checks from law firms and other intermediaries. In most cases, the donor specified the money should be used for financial aid.
The most plausible hypothesis seems to be that the money is coming from a group of donors pooling their money to invest, but donating individually-a "giving circle."
Some speculate that the donor is a woman who grew up in a time of fewer educational opportunities for women or a group of powerful women who want to ensure success for female university leaders.
The gifts have thus far totaled up to $68.5 million and have been delivered over the past seven weeks in a completely anonymous fashion. Some of the college recipients include Purdue, Montclair, Michigan State University and University of Southern Mississippi. All were given only one condition: not to try to investigate the donor's identity. The donations were in the form of cashier's checks, or checks from law firms and other intermediaries. In most cases, the donor specified the money should be used for financial aid.
The most plausible hypothesis seems to be that the money is coming from a group of donors pooling their money to invest, but donating individually-a "giving circle."
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