February 10, 2014 | Read Time: 2 minutes
Amount donated in 2013: $50.1-million
Beneficiary: University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Background: Mr. Rogel is president of Tomay, an investment firm, and a former chief executive of the health-insurance company Preferred Provider Organization of Michigan.
With an eye toward beefing up financial aid at his alma mater, Mr. and Ms. Rogel, ages 64 and 72, respectively, pledged $50.1-million to the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor last year, and directed $30-million of the total to the University of Michigan Medical School for scholarships.
“My dedication to scholarship support has been ongoing since Susan and I created the largest scholarship plan for out-of-state students years ago,” said Mr. Rogel, referring to the couple’s gift of $22-million in 2000. “Giving to the medical school will bring the best and the brightest future doctors to come and study medicine debt-free.”
Of the remaining amount pledged, the Rogels have directed $10-million toward supporting programs, faculty, and students at the university’s Center for Chinese Studies in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and the remainder will go toward the university for other future programs.
Their gift to the Chinese Studies center will strengthen the program and “lead to mutually beneficial engagement, research, and global collaboration,” he said
Mr. Rogel earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the university in 1970 and is leading both the institution’s efforts to raise money for financial aid and the University of Michigan Health System’s fundraising campaign. He and his wife had been contemplating this donation for “some time,” he said, and decided to give it last year to draw attention to the university’s fundraising campaigns and the need for more financial aid for students.
Including their 2013 gift, the Rogels have given about $76-million to the university thus far.
The Philanthropy 50: Browse the full list of America’s most generous donors in 2013.
Learn more: See these donors’ listing in our database of major gifts, America’s Top Donors.
