The University of Northwestern has received a massive donation.
The university announced Wednesday that the Patrick and Shirley Ryan family donated $480 million to the school, and it sounds like the sports programs will benefit greatly. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
Specifically, the Wildcats will use some of the money for a new football field.
The Patrick and Shirley Ryan Family makes largest gift in @NorthwesternU history, which will advance research, educational initiatives, and redevelop Ryan Field.
📈 https://t.co/nulrSi9DmZ#GoCats | @NUFBFamily pic.twitter.com/gOE7gAUTER
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) September 22, 2021
A release from the Wildcats about the donation stated the following in part:
The multi-year project will create a state-of-the-art venue that Wildcats football and the Northwestern community will call home for generations.
The new Ryan Field will offer cutting-edge technology and modern amenities, accessibility for all, and provide an exceptional home-field experience for students, alumni, fans and the surrounding community all within its existing footprint at Central St. and Ashland Ave.
This is the kind of donation that can change a program forever. Northwestern has always done more with less, but they’ve never been a true power.
It’s hard for the Wildcats to recruit given the program’s academic standards and the other teams in the region.
Northwestern has received the largest gift in the University’s history— $480 million 💰
Funds from the Patrick & Shirley Ryan Family will drive biomedical, economics & business research.
The donation will be used to redevelop Ryan Field and construct a “best-in-class venue.” pic.twitter.com/e3FpXccXcx
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) September 22, 2021
However, $480 million can change a lot and a new football field can swing the needle in a way that’s tough for some people to understand.
As a fan of sports, I’m happy for Northwestern. As a Wisconsin fan, I really hope this isn’t about to become an issue for us.
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Either way, this is a huge deal for fans of the Wildcats, and I can’t imagine how happy they must be. Hell of a time for the program.