John & Tashia Morgridge
UW image from YouTube
A $200 million gift to the University of Wisconsin-Madison will help to attract and keep top-quality faculty, and has grown larger and faster than expected. UW alumni John and Tashia Morgridge put up $100 million dollars last year and urged UW supporters to match it. They figured that would take up to three years, but it only took seven months to raise an additional 125-million.
The Morgridges say they’ll also match that, for a total of a quarter-billion dollars to create professorships, chairs, and distinguished chairs. The donations come amid state budget cuts which caused at least some top-quality faculty to take offers elsewhere. The new donations will help the U-W increase its endowed professorships and chairs from 142-to-300.
“I am incredibly appreciative of the generosity of John and Tashia Morgridge and of every donor who participated in the Morgridge Match,” UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.