$400,000 donation to UWM!? Find out who made it and why

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Zilber Family Foundation is making a $400,000 donation to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health to establish the Vera Zilber Public Health Scholars program.

According to UWM, over the next four years, the donation will provide up to 16 doctoral and 48 master’s scholarships through this program.

“This is the largest scholarship gift the Zilber School has received,” said Magda Peck, founding dean.

Peck also says it will have a transformational impact on students and on the future of the school.

Peck says the donation will help recruit and retain students in the three newest master of public health tracks, whose fall 2014 launch recently was announced in the key areas of biostatistics, epidemiology and public health policy and administration.

“This gift signifies our great confidence in Dean Peck and her efforts to create an outstanding new school with talented students and faculty,” said Susan Lloyd, president of the Zilber Family Foundation.

Lloyd says the community needs a school that will be a catalyst for healthier communities through the education of well-prepared public health leader-practitioners.

UWM says the merit-based scholarships will average $5,000 per year for master’s degree students and $10,000 per year for Ph.D. students.

“Supporting full-time students can accelerate their path to graduation and entering the workforce. This gift also supports our becoming Wisconsin’s first nationally accredited school of public health,” said Peck.

Joseph Zilber, founder of the Zilber Family Foundation, was born and raised in Milwaukee. He and his wife, Vera, lived and raised their children in the city. Among many civic contributions, he was instrumental in founding UWM’s School of Public Health, which now uses his name.