Jacksonville University announced Wednesday that The Carl S. Swisher Foundation made a $6 million unrestricted gift that JU President Tim Cost called transformational.
“An unrestricted gift of this magnitude is a rare opportunity to move our University forward, accelerate our momentum, and fuel our progress,” Cost said in a news release.
The foundation’s lifetime giving to the university is nearly $10 million, much of which funded student scholarships, according to the release.
JU said the late Carl S. Swisher was among the university’s first major donors and was a driving force behind the original acquisition of the land for the current Arlington campus at 2800 University Blvd. N.
The campus features the Carl S. Swisher Library and Historic Swisher Gymnasium. Swisher served as a JU board of trustees member and chairman.
“From the first residence halls on campus to supporting the Jacksonville University Marine Science Research Institute, the Swisher giving legacy has been pivotal,” said the release.
JU was founded 84 years ago. It recently completed the ASPIRE fundraising campaign, which raised more than $121.4 million from more than 14,000 supporters. It was the university's largest campaign.
JU, founded in 1934, offers more than 100 majors, minors, and programs.