Marquette's largest college has a new name, thanks to the largest individual benefactor in university history.

The College of Arts & Sciences has been renamed the Helen Way Klinger College of Arts & Sciences in honor of Klinger, who donated $33 million to the university over a span of 25 years.

Arts & Sciences faculty members said the renaming is a great way to commemorate Klinger, who died in January at the age of 101, and her generosity.

"It's perfectly normal in academia—you give a lot of money, you get something named after you," said John McAdams, associate professor of political science. "It's a perfectly legitimate way of expressing gratitude."

Ingrid Buxton, physics laboratory coordinator, agreed.

"When people donate that kind of money to higher education, they need to have more than just a little plaque somewhere," Buxton said.

Klinger's final donation in May of $18 million helped create the Way Klinger Faculty Development Program, which gives Marquette faculty members funding to advance their scholarship and research. The largest award available is the Way Klinger Fellowship, which will give one full-time senior faculty member $50,000 annually for three years.

Faculty members said they welcome the awards.

"I think it's wonderful that the money is going toward faculty research, faculty scholarship and faculty development," said Stephen Franzoi, professor of psychology. "The university has lagged behind in doing that themselves, so I think all the faculty welcome any kind of contribution that comes from outside sources to bolster the quality of the faculty environment."

Michael Patrick Gillespie, the Louise Edna Boeden Professor of English, said the awards are an exciting development for the university and will directly benefit students.

"The more active the faculty are in researching, especially at a place like Marquette that values teaching and research, the more likely they are to bring research into the classroom, making it a more exciting place and making students aware of cutting-edge developments," Gillespie said.

Klinger was never formally associated with Marquette but received a doctor of laws degree in 1993 after converting to Catholicism the same year in St. Joan of Arc Chapel.

Between 1979 and 2004, her anonymous donations totaled about $15 million and helped fund projects like the John P. Raynor, S.J. Library.

Celia Downes of the Tribune staff contributed to this report.