The University of Utah has announced a $110 million gift from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles and Nora Eccles Treadwell foundations in support of its School of Medicine.

The gift includes $40 million for the medical school's endowment to enhance student scholarships, faculty recruitment, and innovative medical education programs; $40 million in support of research focused on cardiovascular science and heart disease; and $30 million to help fund construction of a building on the health sciences campus. The funds will enable the school to develop innovations in healthcare delivery, especially for rural and underserved populations; drive advances in teaching models and timelines; and eventually expand the size of the medical school class. In recognition not only of the gift but also the leadership, vision, and advocacy efforts of Spencer Fox Eccles, chair and CEO of both foundations and a University of Utah alumnus, the school will be renamed the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine.

The commitment continues the Eccles family's legacy of support for the university spanning five decades; the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, named for Spencer Fox Eccles' father, opened its doors fifty years ago. The younger Eccles led his family's banking empire at First Security Bank until its merger with Wells Fargo in 2000.

"Since 'giving 110 percent' has been a legacy theme during my leadership of First Security Bank, this $110 million grant takes on special meaning for all of us," said Eccles. "It's an investment in the future of our fellow citizens — particularly in the medical students today and those to follow — who will have opportunities to practice medicine in innovative ways never before imagined, committing themselves '110 percent' to improving and saving lives!"

"Medical education has advanced significantly in recent decades as new discoveries and technologies emerge," said University of Utah president emerita Ruth V. Watkins. "At the same time, the state of Utah is experiencing a need for more physicians, particularly in rural areas. This gift presents a unique opportunity: we will provide the most advanced education to raise new generations of healthcare professionals who will, in turn, improve health for our state and region."

(Photo credit: George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation)