• College of Engineering received a $25 million anonymous gift
• Funds will be put toward the college's three-part plan to enhance engineering education at Marquette
• The college stands well over halfway toward achieving its $150 million goal
• The gift marks the second $25 million donation from the family of an engineering alumnus

University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild announced a $25 million anonymous gift to the College of Engineering at the end of his State of the University Address Tuesday afternoon in the Alumni Memorial Union.

Wild said the donation came from the family of an engineering alumnus and marks the university's fifth eight-figure donation since last December.

"Donors want their gifts to make a real difference—to have a powerful influence," Wild said.

He said the donation brings the dreams of transforming engineering education at Marquette closer to reality.

Stanley Jaskolski, dean of the College of Engineering, said the funds will be put toward the College of Engineering's three-part plan, consisting of: enhancing the diversity, quality and quantity of engineering students, renovating the curriculum by advancing current faculty and adding new professors, and building a new facility—the Discovery Learning Complex. The college has raised more than half of its $150 million fundraising goal, Jaskolski said.

The gift marks the second $25 million gift to the College of Engineering from the anonymous alumnus and his wife, with the first $25 million given in December 2006, Mary Pat Pfeil, senior director of University Communication, said in an e-mail.

Pfeil said, in addition to the Discovery Learning Complex and a scholarship fund for engineering students, the proceeds will go toward an energy workshop. She said the energy workshop will serve as a venue for students and faculty to explore and address energy-related issues by studying energy resources and uses.

According to Tribune reports from Oct. 30, 2007, Jaskolski said the Discovery Learning Complex will be an innovative facility with integrated classrooms, teaching labs, research labs and a conference center.

He said after working with architects for about six months, preliminary designs for the new building have been developed. He said the college is near the point of sharing the possible design plans with university leaders.

Marquette recently purchased the property where the facility is to be built, on the south side of West Wisconsin Avenue between 16th and 17th Streets, which Jaskolski said was a major milestone.

But Jaskolski said it is important to carry out all three parts of the plan to improve engineering education at Marquette. He said it takes much more than simply constructing a new building to really influence a change.

Wild said colleges can win the hearts and minds of donors in different ways. He said in order to attract donors, everyone involved needs to be on the same page.

"(Attracting donors) can be done in all of our colleges," Wild said.

He said the donation continues Marquette's current momentum toward improvements, support and accomplishing university goals.