Posted on December 11, 2012

Swarthmore College Receives $50 Million From Alumnus

Swarthmore College has announced a $50 million gift from alumnus ('38) and longtime supporter Eugene Lang in support of its engineering program.

The largest gift in the school's nearly 150-year-history — and the largest ever given by Lang to the school — will be used to help construct new engineering and science facilities and extend connections between Swarthmore's engineering program and many of the disciplines that comprise a liberal arts education. To that end, the new facilities will be designed to provide space that fosters collaboration between faculty and students from the arts, engineering, sciences, humanities, and social sciences.

A supporter of the college for more than four decades, Lang's previous gifts to Swarthmore include support for the Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility, the Lang Music Building, and the Eugene and Theresa Lang Performing Arts Center, as well as faculty research, student financial aid, and programs that support students who design and launch innovative service projects. Lang's latest gift supports his belief that engineering, when coupled with other disciplines, plays a crucial role in the expansion and application of knowledge.

"Higher education in the twenty-first century will serve its students — and society — best if it focuses on knowledge design, real-world problem solving, and basic research," said Lang, who is chairman emeritus of Swarthmore's board of managers. "Because Swarthmore combines engineering with a strong liberal arts education, the college is uniquely situated to meet those contemporary needs. It is deeply rewarding to be able to steward Swarthmore's strong commitment to the creation of knowledge and the use of that knowledge to improve the lives of others."