Xavier University in Cincinnati has announced a $50 million gift from an anonymous donor to help launch a college of osteopathic medicine.

The gift will make Xavier the first Jesuit university with an osteopathic medical school. The university plans to welcome an inaugural class of 75 students in 2027 and gradually expand class sizes to 150 per class.

The donation also marks Xavier’s greatest two-year fundraising total ever. The effort includes an estate gift of $50 million from Harry and Linda Fath and another $20 million gift from John and Sarah Lechleiter, supporting endeavors such as making education more affordable for future Xavier students and establishing a new science building on campus.

“This historic gift will allow Xavier to take on an essential role in our nation’s primary care landscape,” said Xavier University president Colleen Hanycz. “As our university approaches two centuries of intellectual, moral, and spiritual education for our students, we continue laying the foundation for a Xavier that impacts even more lives in the decades ahead. I could not be more grateful for the extraordinary generosity of this donor.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Zorica Nastasic)