Michigan State University announced an historic $30 million gift from alumnus and real estate developer Edward J. Minskoff toward completion of the Business Pavilion at the Eli Broad College of Business.
The gift—the largest single gift received from an individual in MSU’s 163-year history—will create innovative learning and career development spaces for business students.
In recognition of the gift, Interim President John Engler will recommend to the MSU Board of Trustees that the Business Pavilion be named the Edward J. Minskoff Business Pavilion.
“Michigan State is an important university and important to my past. It gave me a strong foundation, so I am privileged to be making a contribution that will help Michigan State continue to attract and prepare future business leaders,” Minskoff said.
The 100,000-square-foot pavilion opens to Shaw Lane and is adjacent, and connected, to the current business college facilities. It will feature state-of-the-art collaborative and immersive learning environments, a glass-walled atrium that affords panoramic views of the Red Cedar River and an expanded career center to serve students, recruiters and corporate partners. Many of the spaces reflect corporate innovation, are on the cutting-edge of higher education technology and are designed to foster collaboration, thus helping prepare business students for success in the workforce.
The Broad College, ranked a top public business school in the country, will welcome students to the Business Pavilion in the fall of 2019.
“Edward’s career has focused on developing spaces that are groundbreaking and inspirational,” said Sanjay Gupta, Eli and Edythe L. Broad Dean. “His investment in this project is most fitting because it is designed to inspire students to achieve their fullest potential and become tomorrow’s business leaders.”
With a total projected cost of $62 million, the Business Pavilion is one of the highest priorities of MSU’s Empower Extraordinary campaign. Minskoff’s gift ensures the project will be funded entirely from philanthropy. To date, more than 1,400 individuals, corporations and foundations have contributed toward the Business Pavilion project. Additional gifts will be accepted through the end of the university’s Empower Extraordinary capital campaign, which concludes December 31 and has raised more than $1.7 billion to support programs and initiatives across the university.
“Edward J. Minskoff has been a generous and long-time donor to Michigan State and continues to make a tremendous impact on the university. His philanthropy has woven his legacy permanently into the fabric of our community and transformed the learning environment for our students,” said Interim President Engler. “This gift demonstrates Edward’s confidence in Michigan State and signals a bright future for MSU and our students.”
The Business Pavilion construction site. Photo courtesy MSU University Advancement
Eli Broad, for whom the college is named, kicked off the project with a $25 million challenge grant, $10 million of which was targeted for the Pavilion.
“Edward’s dedication to Michigan State is incredible,” Broad said. “With this gift and under Dean Gupta’s leadership, we hope the Broad College of Business will continue to expand educational opportunities for students from Michigan and around the world.”
Minskoff is a member of the President’s Campaign Cabinet and his financial support for Michigan State dates back to 1964. He and his wife Julie support and named the Julie and Edward J. Minskoff Gallery in the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum as well as the largest laboratory in the Biomedical Physical Sciences Building.
He was an integral partner with the university in the process that led to the construction of the art museum. The Minskoffs are noted contemporary art collectors and he serves on the museum’s International Board.
Minskoff graduated from Michigan State in 1962 with a degree in economics and received an honorary doctorate in business from the Broad College in 2009. In 2013, MSU presented him with its Philanthropist of the Year Award.
During his career, he has developed more than 40 million square feet of residential and office space in New York City’s Manhattan and nine other major cities. He is the founder of Edward J. Minskoff Equities Inc., which owns, develops and manages high-end office and residential properties and other real estate in urban centers. He has been a bellwether for building high end, high quality buildings in places that were on the cusp of explosive growth.
