UMass receives largest-ever gift, $50M for healthcare diversity & equity

Foto: Grant Welker The UMass Medical campus in Worcester

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By Katherine Hamilton

The University of Massachusetts announced Wednesday it received $50 million from Robert and Donna Manning, marking the largest gift in the university system’s history.

The gift will go toward increasing diversity in the healthcare field and improving accessibility to the five-campus university, per the announcement.

The first $15 million of the endowment has been allotted to UMass Boston, but distributions to the UMass Medical School in Worcester, along with the UMass campuses in Lowell, Dartmouth, and Amherst will be announced in the coming months, according to the university’s press release.

UMass Boston’s allotment will support its nursing program’s student diversity and training in equitable patient care.

The $50-million gift from the Mannings is an up-front, cash gift and the largest-ever commitment received by the university.

Robert and Donna Manning both attended UMass Lowell and have already committed more than $11 million to that school.

Donna Manning's 35-year career as an oncology nurse at Boston Medical Center inspired the decision to make the first distribution from the gift.

Robert Manning began work as a research analyst at MFS Investment Management in Boston after graduating from the Lowell campus in 1984 with a degree in information systems management. He rose to become president and CEO at MFS, which has grown to manage more than $670 billion in assets annually. He plans to retire this year.

State House News Service contributed reporting to this article.