Salesianum School, a Catholic high school for boys in Wilmington, Delaware, has announced a $12 million gift to its endowment from alumnus Miguel Bezos ('63) and his wife, Jacklyn.

The gift includes $10 million to establish the Rev. James P. Byrne, OSFS Memorial Scholarship, named after the late priest who had supervised Casa de Sales, where students who had arrived unaccompanied from Cuba in the early 1960s were housed. The fund will support full-tuition scholarships and stipends for incidental expenses including books, retreats, service trips, AP test fees, and prom tickets for twenty-four students with financial need. In recognition of the school's roots in Wilmington and legacy of educating immigrants, including Bezos, the father of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, the program will give preference to applicants who are children of immigrants living in Wilmington.

The remaining $2 million will be used to match commitments in support of the endowment of $100,000 or more over the next three years.

"Mike and Jackie understand the complex obstacles faced by underserved students and wanted to give these students the best path to success," said Salesianum president Brendan Kennealey. "Because of them, students from every neighborhood in Wilmington, and across the region, will have even greater access to a Salesianum education."

(Photo credit: Salesianum School)