Georgia Tech Receives Record $100M Gift for Engineering School

Georgia Tech received a historic $100 million donation from the late alumnus John W. Durstine, marking the largest single gift in the Institute’s history. The donation will transform the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering by establishing endowed chairs, professorships, and faculty awards to support recruitment, retention, and innovation. Durstine, a 1950s mechanical engineering graduate and former Ford Motor Company executive, was known for his integrity and quiet generosity, having donated to the school since 1978. Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera emphasized that the gift will have an enduring impact on faculty resources, helping push the boundaries of mechanical engineering and benefiting students and research. The Woodruff School, one of the nation’s largest and most influential mechanical and nuclear engineering programs, has over 110 faculty members and 3,000 students working in areas like robotics, bioengineering, nuclear technology, and AI. This endowment will help attract both early-career rising stars and internationally recognized academic pioneers, ensuring the school remains at the forefront of innovation.