$50-Million Gift Supports U. of Michigan Writing Program
March 7, 2013 | Read Time: 1 minute
Helen Zell, the wife of real-estate mogul Sam Zell, is donating $50-million to underwrite the University of Michigan’s acclaimed graduate writing program, reports the Associated Press.
The program will be renamed for Ms. Zell in honor of the gift, which will be formally announced Thursday and is believed to be the largest ever in support of a graduate writing program.
Ms. Zell earned an English degree at Michigan in 1964. She has made past contributions totaling $10-million to the writing program, which offers students an unusually high level of financial support and whose alumni include Elizabeth Kostova, author of the bestselling The Historian, and National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward.
