It was announced yesterday that the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University was the recipient of a $30 million donation from J Michael Pearson and his wife Christine.
The Donor and the Donation
Pearson is the CEO of Valeant Pharmaceuticals and a former student at Duke. His wife, Christine also attended Duke's College of Nursing, graduating in 1984.
Their gift will go towards interdisciplinary programs, courses and research at Pratt.
The Continuing Relationship
The Pearsons are no stranger to giving when it comes to Duke. Their cumulative gifts have already exceeded $50 million - and include large single gifts sich as $15 million to the School of Nursing and $7.5 million to the Fuqua School of Business. In fact, they are one of the top 5 donors to Duke Forward - the school's current fundraising campaign.
And if you're wondering why they keep giving - the image from Prospect Visual reveals several of the strongest Board/Trustee-level connections between Pearson and Duke. These relationships could provide a clue as to why the Pearsons continue to be so generous when it comes to their alma mater.