Barnard College in New York City has announced a $55 million gift from P. Roy and Diana T. Vagelos in support of efforts to help young women develop careers in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

The gift, which is more than double the size of any previous single gift in the college’s history, includes funding for the renovation and expansion of Barnard’s principal science facilities at Altschul Hall, which will be renamed the Roy and Diana Vagelos Science Center. Once complete, the renovated building will include a prominent entrance welcoming both students and local community members and an open interior to encourage student collaboration and community building and showcase key programming.

Over the past three decades, the Vageloses have supported a range of campus facilities and initiatives, including gifts to make possible the Diana Center, the alumnae center, the computer science center, an endowed professorship, and a successful financial aid matching program. Diana Vagelos, who graduated from the college in 1955, has also served on Barnard’s board of trustees since 2003.

“We are so pleased to support this renovation and are excited to see how the campus will be transformed with this newly designed building as a fresh gateway,” said Vagelos. “As philanthropists, Roy and I really believe in giving to initiatives and organizations that further science, technology, and medicine. We are enormously confident in the college’s vision for the future and proud to support STEM at Barnard.”

(Photo credit: Elizabeth Leitzell)