Alverno College Receives Transformational $10 Million Gift

Alverno College has received a $10 million gift from John and Tashia Morgridge. This gift, through the TOSA Foundation, will support strategic growth and innovation to educate and empower future leaders to address emerging challenges in our communities. The gift is one of the largest donations the College has received throughout its 137-year history.

“Alverno College is a great asset to the community. This gift expresses our deep confidence in Alverno, and we hope that it will inspire and challenge others who value the power of education to also invest in Alverno and its students,” said John and Tashia Morgridge. John is the former chairman of Cisco Systems and Tashia is a retired special education teacher who has worked as a volunteer teacher for students with learning disabilities.

“We are deeply grateful for the Morgridges’ extraordinary investment in Alverno College at an important moment in our history,” said Christy L. Brown, president of Alverno College. “The Morgridges’ gift will have an immediate and lasting impact on Alverno and our students. And we are thrilled that the Morgridges have asked for this gift to be used as a challenge to our community to come forward with their best gift to Alverno.”

The Morgridges’ challenge for the community adds momentum to fundraising efforts underway at Alverno.

“We are grateful to John and Tashia for their transformational gift to Alverno,” said Kathy Hudson H’14, chair of the Alverno College Board of Trustees. “John and Tashia have an extraordinary history of supporting education at Alverno. This gift is a clear affirmation that the work of Alverno faculty, staff and students matters and is vital to our community.”

Anyone who wishes to contribute to Alverno College may donate at alverno.edu/give.

About Alverno College

Based in Milwaukee, Wis., Alverno College is a four-year independent, Catholic, liberal arts college for women. Founded in 1887 by the School Sisters of St. Francis, Alverno promotes the academic, personal, and professional development of its students in a collaborative and inclusive environment. Certificate programs, digital badges, degree completion programs and graduate programs are open to all genders. A leader in higher education innovation, Alverno has earned international accolades for its highly effective ability-based, assessment-as-learning approach to education, which emphasizes hands-on experience and develops in-demand skills. The college, Wisconsin’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution, ranks among the top schools in the Midwest for its commitment to undergraduate teaching and innovation by U.S. News & World Report.