[JoninATX]

Dell family foundation to donate $60 million for UT medical school, local health care

By Ralph K.M. Haurwitz American-Statesman Staff

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation has pledged to donate $50 million to a planned medical school at the University of Texas and $10 million to improve access to local health care and the quality of that care.

The school will be named the Dell Medical School.

A formal announcement is scheduled for Wednesday evening at the foundation’s headquarters in West Austin.

The $50 million, to be paid at the rate of $5 million a year for 10 years, will bring the Dell family foundation’s contributions to the Austin flagship to more than $100 million. Previous gifts include $38 million to help underwrite the Dell Pediatric Research Institute.

“The Dells have been fabulously generous,” UT President Bill Powers told the Statesman. “We are absolutely grateful for their support. I think this will jump-start the philanthropic effort for the medical school in the rest of the community.”

Janet Mountain, executive director of the foundation, said Michael and Susan Dell have been discussing the potential for a medical school with UT officials since 2006. The donation stems from their “affinity for this community,” Mountain said. “They’re long-term residents of Austin. They love Austin. They believe this will be a tremendous asset to the community.”

http://www.statesman.com/news/news/d...-for-ut/nT98b/