News Summary
George Mason University has secured a $20 million donation from the Kimmy Duong Foundation to enhance its School of Computing. This significant contribution will establish endowments to support scholarships and student success initiatives, alongside potentially leveraging an additional $16 million from Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program. In recognition of this generous gift, the School of Computing will be renamed to honor its benefactors. This donation reflects a broader trend in higher education funding and aims to boost the number of graduates in technology and engineering fields.
Fairfax, Virginia — George Mason University (GMU) has secured a substantial $20 million donation from the Kimmy Duong Foundation, aimed at enhancing the educational landscape of its School of Computing. This significant contribution will facilitate the establishment of endowments to support scholarships and student success initiatives, reflecting a growing trend in higher education funding across the region.
The donation from the Kimmy Duong Foundation comes at a time when three educational institutions have recently received multimillion-dollar contributions within the span of just ten days. The financial commitment made by Duong and her husband, Long Nguyen, may leverage an additional $16 million from Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program, potentially bringing the overall impact to $36 million. This program is designed to boost the number of graduates in computing fields across the state.
In recognition of this generous donation, GMU’s Board of Visitors will rename the School of Computing to the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong School of Computing. This name change is pending approval from the Virginia State Council of Higher Education. The renaming ceremony was held on April 25, 2025, as a tribute to the couple’s commitment to GMU and their impact on the educational community.
Details of the Donation
The funds will be allocated to create three distinct endowments at GMU. Two of these endowments will specifically target scholarships and initiatives aimed at enhancing student success within GMU’s College of Engineering. The third endowment, named the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship Endowment, will focus on providing scholarships with a preference for students pursuing majors in nursing, education, or journalism. This reflects a broadened scope of support beyond computing, showing the couple’s commitment to various academic disciplines.
Impact on Education
GMU President Gregory Washington expressed appreciation for the couple’s dedication to the university and acknowledged the numerous opportunities this gift will create for future students. The establishment of these endowments is expected to significantly aid in bridging the financial gap for many aspiring students, thereby enhancing educational access and success.
Background on Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen
Kimmy Duong’s journey began in Vietnam, where she emigrated to the United States in 1975 with merely $30 to her name. Over the years, she has built an impressive career, including significant roles at IBM and co-founding Pragmatics Inc., a company that has carved a niche in providing advanced technological solutions. Alongside her husband, Nguyen, Duong has previously contributed $5 million to GMU in 2009 to support the construction of the Nguyen Engineering Building, showcasing their long-standing dedication to the institution.
The recent financial boost to GMU’s School of Computing aligns with a broader statewide initiative aimed at increasing the number of skilled graduates in technology and engineering fields. The Kimmy Duong Foundation’s donation not only stands as a testament to the couple’s commitment to education but also highlights the essential role that philanthropy plays in fortifying the foundations of higher education in today’s evolving landscape.
This landmark gift is poised to resonate well beyond the immediate benefits for GMU, supporting a vision of expanded access to higher education, bolstering the talent pipeline in critical fields, and further enriching the academic journey of future generations of students.
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Additional Resources
- Northern Virginia Magazine
- Wikipedia: George Mason University
- Forbes
- Google Search: George Mason University donations
- WTOP
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Education
- GMU Athletics
- Google News: Kimmy Duong donation George Mason University
