Gifts Roundup: U. of Chicago Lands $125 Million From Financier Ken Griffin

A roundup of notable gifts compiled by The Chronicle:

University of Chicago

The billionaire financier Ken Griffin pledged $125 million through his Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund to back the effort in the Department of Economics to expand its faculty and research and increase financial support for students.

Mr. Griffin founded the hedge-fund firm Citadel, and his net worth has been pegged at over $8 billion by Forbes.

He is not a University of Chicago alumnus, but this latest donation brings his total giving to the institution to nearly $150 million.

California Institute of Technology

Allen Davis bequeathed more than $60 million to endow professorships.

Mr. Davis and his late wife, Lenabelle, founded two companies: Hydra-Electric Company, which built the pressure switches Mr. Allen designed for the aerospace industry; and Custom Control Sensors. The companies’ products were used throughout the aircraft industry and by NASA on missile flights. Mr. Davis died in 2015 at 91.

Boston College

Phil Schiller and his wife, Kim Gassett-Schiller, pledged $25 million for the newly created Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, which focuses on energy, health, and the environment.

Mr. Schiller is senior vice president for worldwide marketing at Apple. He graduated from Boston College in 1982.

Albany Symphony

Heinrich Medicus left more than $7 million to endow the orchestra, which plans to name its top artistic post for the donor.

Mr. Medicus was a nuclear physicist and professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who had a whimsical side: In 1988, he set the world record for distance traveled by a popped champagne cork at 177 feet and 9 inches.

He was also a longtime supporter and board member of Albany Symphony. He died in February at age 98.

Wichita Community Foundation

Jayne Milburn bequeathed $6.9 million for and endowment that will support local nonprofits Including Botanica Wichita, a public botanical garden; the Wichita Art Museum; Wichita Children’s Home, an emergency shelter for children; and Wichita Symphony.

Ms. Milburn, who died in 2016, was the widow of the late Glenn Milburn, an investment banker.

Indiana University at Bloomington

Randall and Deborah Tobias gave $5 million to establish the Randall L. and Deborah F. Tobias Center for Innovation in International Development at the School of Global and International Studies.

The center will focus on efforts to reduce poverty and inequality, improve health, education, and employment opportunities, and address climate change.

Mr. Randall is a former chief executive of Eli Lilly and Company. He served as United States global AIDS coordinator, the United States director of foreign assistance, and the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development from 2003 until he resigned his posts in 2007.

Ms. Tobias is a retired operations director for the Juniper Networks in Britain and Ireland.

Ohio State University

Charles Koch donated $4.5 million through his foundation to create the Drug Enforcement and Policy Center in the Moritz College of Law.

Mr. Koch is chief executive of Koch industries, an industrial conglomerate he and his brother David Koch own. The brothers appeared in The Chronicle’s recent report on how much the country’s wealthiest donors are giving to charity relative to their wealth.

National Louis University

Mary Bullock left $2.5 million to the National College of Education, which plans to use the money as an endowed scholarship fund to support financial aid for students in early-childhood education.

Ms. Bullock was a kindergarten teacher for 40 years in Villa Park, Ill. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the university in 1954 and a master’s there in 1964. She died last year at 85.

St. Thomas University

John Brunetti gave $2.5 million for the Human Trafficking Academy. The gift will help the academy expand its services, including professional and prevention education programs, victim and survivor counseling, and legal assistance.

Mr. Brunetti is chairman of Hialeah Park Racing and Casino.

To learn about other big donations, see our database of gifts of $1 million or more, which is updated throughout the week.