The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) has announced a $20 million gift from the Zilber Family Foundation in support of the Joseph J. Zilber College of Public Health.

The gift will support two endowments at the school: the Zilber Faculty Excellence Fund and the Vera Zilber Student Program Fund, supporting accessibility through graduate-level scholarships as well as at the bachelor’s degree level. UWM’s Zilber College of Public Health is Wisconsin’s only accredited school of public health, making it a leading institution in advancing population health, health equity, and social and environmental justice across Milwaukee as well as Wisconsin. 

“The Zilber Family Foundation’s landmark gift is a vote of confidence in UWM and the college’s future,” said UWM chancellor Mark Mone. “It reinforces our pillars of faculty excellence, top-tier research, student access, and achievement. This extraordinary gift significantly enhances our ability to recruit and retain top faculty members while accelerating and supporting the students who will become our nation’s public health leaders. Today is one of the highlights of my career, and it’s due to the partnership that we have here.” 

(Photo credit: UWM Photo/Kyle Bursaw)