UWM Zilber College of Public Health receives record $20M gift
UWM Zilber School of Public Health
MILWAUKEE - The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee received the largest single gift in school history – $20 million to the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health – Wednesday morning, July 12.
The donation from the Zilber Family Foundation, a news release said, is helping to advance health equity across the state. The funding will also help students and Milwaukee residents by supporting two endowments: the Zilber Faculty Excellence Fund and the Vera Zilber Student Program Fund.
"(It's) one of the largest gifts given to a school of public health across the country," said Gina Stilp, executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation. "The $20 million commitment will continue to promote public health, prevent disease and advance health equity in Milwaukee for years to come."
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UWM’s Zilber College of Public Health is Wisconsin’s only accredited school of public health and one of only 56 such dedicated schools in the country. According to a news release, it is a leading institution in advancing population health, health equity, and social and environmental justice throughout Milwaukee, the state of Wisconsin and beyond.
"The Zilber Family Foundation’s landmark gift is a vote of confidence in UWM and the college’s future. It reinforces our pillars of faculty excellence, top-tier research, student access and achievement," said UWM Chancellor Mark Mone. "This extraordinary gift significantly enhances our ability to recruit and retain top faculty members while accelerating and supporting the students who will become our nation’s public health leaders."
According to the news release, the foundation was founded in 1961 by real estate mogul Joseph J. Zilber and his wife Vera to champion efforts that address basic needs and ensure personal safety, increase access to social and economic opportunity and improve the quality of life in the city of Milwaukee.