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The Daily Orange$6 million gift donated by SU trustee, his wife
By Dan Scorpio
Posted: 10/23/07, 10:43 PM EST Section: News
As of this week, the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science is $6 million richer.
A Syracuse University alumnus and his wife have donated the sum to ECS to further the college's commitment to new technology, real-world experiences and entrepreneurship.
Thomas C. Wilmot Sr. and his wife, Colleen L. Wilmot, made the gift to endow a new chair. Thomas C. Wilmot, a member of the Board of Trustees, graduated from SU in 1970.
"The Wilmots' gift is a remarkable sign of support for the L.C. Smith College and for our university," said Chancellor Nancy Cantor in an e-mail.
The gift will be split in three different ways by the school.
Half of the donation will go toward creating a new endowed professorship, The Thomas and Colleen Wilmot Endowed Chair at SU.
"The University will be looking for a new faculty member with real-world experience," said Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina. "We are looking for someone to be a leader."
The new chair will be an expert in the field of developing engineered systems for built environments and will help students to create new technologies.
The chair will be focused on bringing together two main initiatives at SU, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems and the Entrepreneurship Initiative made possible by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Spina said.
"This new chair will bring an attitude of entrepreneurship into the students," Spina said.
Of the remaining money, $1 million will be added to the already existing Thomas C. and Colleen L. Wilmot Scholarship. Undergraduate students majoring in civil engineering are eligible for this award based on both merit and need.
The donation doubles the value of this endowment.
The remaining $2 million may be used at the discretion of the college's dean.
Spina, former ESC dean, said Wilmot has had a longtime relationship with the university.
"I have known him for about four years," he said, "but I know he has been coming up here and having lunch with recipients of the Wilmot Scholarship for years."
SU will begin a nationwide search to fill the chair position, and the search could take up to a year to complete.
Students will benefit from the Wilmots' gift in several ways, Spina said. In addition to the financial aid, he said students will benefit from a new professor "with real experience in the world, doing very important things."
"This new faculty member will teach students, mentor them and help them develop intellectual property in the engineering field," Spina said.
Jamal Butler, an ECS freshman, said only good things can come from the donation.
"$6 million is a huge amount," Butler said. "It's really great that the college has that much new money to work with."
"(Wilmot) is a man who really cares about the institution and wants to help the students here," Spina said. "It is truly humbling that he trusts us with his gift."
A Syracuse University alumnus and his wife have donated the sum to ECS to further the college's commitment to new technology, real-world experiences and entrepreneurship.
Thomas C. Wilmot Sr. and his wife, Colleen L. Wilmot, made the gift to endow a new chair. Thomas C. Wilmot, a member of the Board of Trustees, graduated from SU in 1970.
"The Wilmots' gift is a remarkable sign of support for the L.C. Smith College and for our university," said Chancellor Nancy Cantor in an e-mail.
The gift will be split in three different ways by the school.
Half of the donation will go toward creating a new endowed professorship, The Thomas and Colleen Wilmot Endowed Chair at SU.
"The University will be looking for a new faculty member with real-world experience," said Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric Spina. "We are looking for someone to be a leader."
The new chair will be an expert in the field of developing engineered systems for built environments and will help students to create new technologies.
The chair will be focused on bringing together two main initiatives at SU, the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems and the Entrepreneurship Initiative made possible by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Spina said.
"This new chair will bring an attitude of entrepreneurship into the students," Spina said.
Of the remaining money, $1 million will be added to the already existing Thomas C. and Colleen L. Wilmot Scholarship. Undergraduate students majoring in civil engineering are eligible for this award based on both merit and need.
The donation doubles the value of this endowment.
The remaining $2 million may be used at the discretion of the college's dean.
Spina, former ESC dean, said Wilmot has had a longtime relationship with the university.
"I have known him for about four years," he said, "but I know he has been coming up here and having lunch with recipients of the Wilmot Scholarship for years."
SU will begin a nationwide search to fill the chair position, and the search could take up to a year to complete.
Students will benefit from the Wilmots' gift in several ways, Spina said. In addition to the financial aid, he said students will benefit from a new professor "with real experience in the world, doing very important things."
"This new faculty member will teach students, mentor them and help them develop intellectual property in the engineering field," Spina said.
Jamal Butler, an ECS freshman, said only good things can come from the donation.
"$6 million is a huge amount," Butler said. "It's really great that the college has that much new money to work with."
"(Wilmot) is a man who really cares about the institution and wants to help the students here," Spina said. "It is truly humbling that he trusts us with his gift."
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