Notre Dame Receives $205M in Donations for Architecture School and Democracy Institute
The University of Notre Dame has received two significant donations, totalling $205 million, which will rename the School of Architecture and establish a new democracy institute.
The first gift, a $150 million donation from Matthew and Joyce Walsh, will rename the School of Architecture to the Matthew and Joyce Walsh School of Architecture. This endowment will broaden the school's influence, enhance its research capacity, and impact the teaching and practice of architecture.
The second donation, $55 million from Francis and Kathleen Rooney, will endow the Rooney Democracy Institute. Formerly known as the Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy, the institute aims to advance Notre Dame's role as a national and global leader in democracy scholarship and bipartisan conversations.
Both donations reflect the donors' deep connection to Notre Dame. Matthew Walsh, a 1968 graduate, and Francis Rooney, who served as U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, have made significant contributions to their alma mater, shaping its future and expanding its impact.
