News Summary
George Mason University, Creighton University, and the University of San Diego have each received substantial donations aimed at enhancing educational programs and scholarship opportunities. George Mason University secured a $20 million gift from the Kimmy Duong Foundation, while Creighton University and the University of San Diego received $10 million contributions to support unrestricted scholarships and military-connected student initiatives, respectively. These donations highlight a growing trend of philanthropic contributions to improve educational infrastructure and resources.
Fairfax, VA – Three universities have recently received significant donations aimed at enhancing educational initiatives. George Mason University, Creighton University, and the University of San Diego each secured multimillion-dollar contributions to support their respective programs and scholarship opportunities.
George Mason University has been awarded a $20 million donation from the Kimmy Duong Foundation. This amount has the potential to transform into a total of $36 million thanks to eligibility for matching funds from Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program, which is designed to increase the number of graduates in computing degrees. In recognition of this extraordinary donation, the university’s Board of Visitors has voted to rename the School of Computing to the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong School of Computing.
The donation will specifically establish three endowments: two will support scholarships and student success initiatives in the College of Engineering, while the third will create the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship Endowment. This endowment will prioritize students majoring in nursing, education, or journalism.
Gregory Washington, the President of George Mason University, expressed appreciation for Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen’s support, emphasizing their personal success stories that resonate with many students. Kimmy Duong made a remarkable journey from Vietnam, where she earned a degree in economics and law from the University of Saigon in 1966. After fleeing to the U.S. with only $30, she joined IBM before becoming Vice Chairwoman and CFO at Pragmatics. In 2015, she established the Kimmy Duong Foundation to further educational initiatives and has previously contributed $5 million to George Mason for the Nguyen Engineering Building in 2009, demonstrating a longstanding commitment to the university.
Meanwhile, Creighton University announced a $10 million bequest from alumni Elno Zikmund and his wife, Tillie Zikmund, on April 22, 2025. This donation is one of the most substantial contributions for “unrestricted” scholarships at Creighton, allowing aid to students regardless of their field of study or financial situation. The couple had previously created the Elno T. and Mathilda M. Zikmund Endowed Scholarship in 2010. Elno Zikmund, a physician from Central City, Nebraska, is remembered for his dedication to education, as noted by Creighton’s President Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, who acknowledged the generous support from Zikmunds.
In a separate announcement on May 1, 2025, the University of San Diego received a $10 million gift from Dan and Phyllis Epstein through their Epstein Family Foundation. This contribution will support the establishment of the Epstein Family Foundation Military-Connected Center for Excellence, which aims to cater to military-connected students, including active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families. The Epsteins’ donation also acts as a challenge to raise an additional $10 million in matching funds for the center.
Dan Epstein is known as the executive chairman and founder of the ConAm Group, a company managing around 50,000 apartment units throughout the United States. With a history of supporting various university programs, particularly those aimed at military-connected students, the Epsteins’ commitment is expected to make a significant impact. The President of the University of San Diego, James T. Harris III, expressed gratitude for the substantial support, highlighting the anticipated positive outcomes for military-connected students and their families.
These donations reflect a growing trend among universities to enhance their educational initiatives through substantial philanthropic contributions. The funds received are expected to significantly improve scholarship opportunities, student resources, and overall educational infrastructure at these institutions, positioning them to better serve their student populations.
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Additional Resources
- Northern Virginia Magazine
- Wikipedia: George Mason University
- Forbes
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Philanthropy
- George Mason Athletics
- Google Search: George Mason University donations
- Virginia Mercury
- Google News: George Mason University donations
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