Universities of Maryland and Colorado Receive Major Gifts

A University of Maryland dropout who went on to play key roles in high-tech start-ups that sold for hundreds of millions of dollars is donating $31-million to his would-be alma mater, reports The Washington Post. The gift from Brendan Iribe will go largely toward a new computer-science building, to be named for the donor, who left the College Park campus during his freshman year.

Mr. Iribe’s most recent venture, virtual-reality-headset developer Oculus VR, was purchased by Facebook for $2-billion earlier this year. The Maryland native’s donation will be supplemented by $3-million from his mother, Elizabeth Trexler, and $4-million from his Oculus business partner, Michael Antonov, whom Mr. Iribe met at a university dorm.

The University of Colorado also received a significant gift this week, with the founders of real-estate brokerage Re/Max donating a science-focused Denver museum valued at $40-million to the institution, The Denver Post writes. The university’s Board of Regents agreed Thursday to accept the Wildlife Experience from Dave and Gail Liniger.

The 151,000-square-foot facility will be renamed the Liniger Building at the University of Colorado South Denver. The university has been using part of the building for classes under an agreement reached with the couple earlier this year. The museum and its art exhibits will remain open to the public.