Certainly, the figure of $140 million was one of the gift’s remarkable features, but something else stands out: the funds were not designated for a specified purpose. Unrestricted gifts like this one signal a strong belief in MIT’s mission and in its leadership’s ability to use such funds wisely in pursuit of that mission. This donor and thousands of others at all levels of giving embody a community of trust at MIT. The Institute is stronger as a result, able to direct those funds wherever they are needed most.
“Everyone who contributes ‘unrestricted’ dollars gives MIT flexibility and nimbleness—the ability to seize unexpected opportunities, to solve crucial but unglamorous issues around buildings and grounds, to respond to emergencies, to provide the fundamental support that allows us to attract many of the most creative people in the world. And these supporters give us one thing more: the great gift of their confidence—confidence in the mission, power, and people of MIT to do good for the nation and the world.
—MIT President L. Rafael Reif
“In order to take on the world’s most pressing problems, we need the very best faculty and the brightest students working in the finest facilities. Unrestricted funds are critical in providing scholarship aid for our undergraduates, startup funds for junior faculty members, and support for campus renewal. The demand for unrestricted dollars to enable MIT to continue to push the boundaries of knowledge is never fulfilled, and we are grateful to donors at all levels who signal their trust and belief in MIT with these kinds of gifts.”
—Israel Ruiz SM ’01, MIT executive vice president and treasurer
“No one has ever made it through life without someone else’s help. As a past recipient of MIT’s generous financial aid, I benefited tremendously from the opportunity to pursue my MIT education and am extremely appreciative of all the ways that MIT has shaped me. I am also inspired by MIT’s vision in tackling global challenges, and I trust its leadership to take bold steps to make the world a better place.”
—Anonymous donor of unrestricted gift
“Every time we support MIT, we support a key agent of positive change in the world.”
—Natalie Lorenz-Anderson ’84
“Forget Peter Pan—MIT was my Neverland! It far exceeded whatever I could have imagined. Giving to MIT is what makes it possible for people from such a wide variety of backgrounds to come together on campus and do the awesome things that we do.
—Naren Tallapragada ’13
