PORTLAND, Ore. — Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife Connie have donated $50 million to the University of Oregon that will be used for scholarships, obesity research and marketing.
It was the university’s first major contribution since declaring last month that it planned to raise $2 billion over the next four years.
With Nike co-founder Phil Knight as a graduate, the university is accustomed to announcing large donations. Ballmer also made his fortune with a company based in the Pacific Northwest.
Interim school president Scott Coltrane said in a statement that the university receives only about 5 percent of its budget from the state, a fact that makes large donations a key part of school finances.
“This gift will fundamentally change lives, creating a better future for countless Oregonians by providing access to educational opportunities at the UO,” he said of Ballmer’s donation.
Connie Ballmer graduated from Oregon in 1984 with a degree in journalism. She was appointed to the university board of trustees when it was formed last year.
The university said the $50 million would be split three ways:
— $25 million toward an endowment fund for the PathwayOregon scholarship program that helps low-income Oregonians afford a higher education. The university estimates 400 to 500 students will benefit from the gift annually.
— $20 million to hire top faculty for the prevention science research program, with a focus on obesity.
— $5 million to help market the university’s academic strengths, which are overshadowed by the highly ranked football team.
Coltrane told The Eugene Register-Guard that the donation came with no strings attached.
“They are very concerned that we are very creative and steward the money well, but they’re not telling us how to do that,” he said.
Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 and led the company from 2000 to 2014. He bought the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year.
Ballmer earned his degree from Harvard College. On Thursday, he announced a large gift to help the college expand its computer science faculty.
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