WORCESTER—Worcester Polytechnic Institute has received $13 million in combined gifts from two alumni couples, all earmarked for student scholarships, marking one of its largest recent investments in financial aid.
The donors, who requested anonymity, have committed the funds as long-term bequests intended to reduce financial barriers for students and expand access to a WPI education over time. University officials said the gifts reflect a growing emphasis on affordability as tuition and student debt continue to shape college choices nationwide.
According to the announcement, the two couples—one an alumnus and his wife, the other an alumna and her husband—credited WPI with shaping their careers and perspectives, and said their giving was motivated by a desire to extend similar opportunities to future students.
“These extraordinary commitments reflect the enduring bond our alumni feel with WPI and their belief in the power of a WPI education to transform lives,” WPI President Grace Wang said in a statement “By investing in scholarships, they are creating a legacy that provides for the future, opening doors for talented students and ensuring that a WPI education remains accessible for generations to come.”
University officials said the bequest structure is designed to provide sustained scholarship support rather than a one-time infusion, allowing the funds to grow and benefit students well into the future.
One of the donor couples described their decision to give as deeply personal, citing support they received as students that altered the course of their lives, according to the announcement. The second couple emphasized what they called the ripple effect of investing in students, saying they “hope to ensure that future students have the access and support they need—and that they, in turn, can give back in their own meaningful ways.”
The scholarship gifts come alongside a recently announced $3 million contribution from alumnus Paul Covec, Class of 1964, aimed at supporting student and faculty startups. Together, the donations represent major commitments to the university’s long-term fundraising effort, Beyond These Towers: The Campaign for Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
The campaign, described by WPI as the most ambitious in its history, supports scholarships, faculty and research initiatives, global programs, campus facilities, and student life. Its name references the university’s earliest buildings and its long-standing emphasis on combining theory and practice.
