The University of Michigan Law School has received a $33 million gift to provide scholarships and financial aid to students.
The gift was donated by real estate developers Lisa and Chris Jeffries to provide various support facilities to students, along with managing the debt taken by them to fund their studies.
“We are deeply grateful for Lisa and Chris’s transformational gift. Their generosity is particularly meaningful because it directly supports our students, who are the heart of our mission,” Mark D. West, dean and Nippon Life Professor of Law, said.
“The Jeffries’s support also reflects one of Michigan Law’s greatest strengths: the passion and generosity of our alumni community.”
The donation is one of the largest in the history of any Law School in the United States. While recognizing the Jeffries’ contribution, the university’s Board of Regents approved the renaming of the Law School’s South Hall after them.
“Law school is a unique way of disciplining your mind, and my time at Michigan was formative and memorable,” said Chris Jeffries.
“I’m especially interested in paying the way forward for students who lack financial resources, and this gift will allow them to have opportunities and experiences they otherwise wouldn’t be able to.”
In 2007, Jeffries donated $5 million for the construction of South Hall and $2.5 million in 2015 for the establishment of 1LSummer Funding Program.