Assumption's liberal arts college to be named for Big Y founders

Photo | Courtesy of Assumption University Michele and Donald D'Amour

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Assumption University in Worcester will name its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences after Big Y founders and longtime benevolent alumnus Donald D’Amour and his wife Michele D’Amour, the school announced on Monday.

The school will be known as the D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, joining a number of other programs and parts of the college named for the couple.

“The D’Amour College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is our largest school and one through which all students take courses as part of the University’s comprehensive and influential core curriculum,” said Assumption President Francesco Cesareo, in a statement.

D’Amour graduated from Assumption Prep in 1960, and from Assumption College in 1964. He and Michele both received honorary degrees from Assumption in 2010 and served on the school’s board of trustees, according to a press release.

The D’Amours donated $4.2 million to Assumption in 2008, the largest gift in the school’s history. More than half of the donation was used to establish the Donald and Michele D’Amour Chair in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. The rest endowed a speakers program, increased the endowment for what is now the Core Texts & Enduring Questions program, and established a faculty development grant fund. The D’Amours have been involved in the school through the D’Amour Center for Teaching Excellence, the D’Amour Student Fellows Program, and through the D’Amour Humanitas Award. The plaza outside of the Tsotsis Family Academic Center is named for the D’Amours.

The D’Amour family founded Big Y supermarkets, which is headquartered in Springfield. D’Amour previously served as the supermarket board chairman and CEO; Michele served as the company’s educational partnership administrator, according to a press release. They have backed a number of arts and educational initiatives and institutions in Western Massachusetts, including the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts in Springfield, the Community Music School of Springfield, Springfield Rescue Mission, the D’Amour Cancer Center in Springfield, the Pope Francis Preparatory School in Springfield, and the California-based Parents Television Council.