Largest gift in Assumption’s 104-year history

Worcester, Mass. – May 1, 2008 – Assumption College President Francesco Cesareo today announced that Donald and Michele D’Amour have made an historic gift of $4.2 million to the College. The gift will endow a faculty chair and go towards other academic initiatives in support of the school’s Catholic intellectual tradition. The D’Amour donation is the largest gift in Assumption’s 104-year history.

“This is truly a breakthrough gift for Assumption,” Cesareo said. “Its magnitude sets a new standard for philanthropy at the College. The entire Assumption community is deeply grateful to Don and Michele D’Amour. Their extraordinary generosity will help us to advance key academic priorities by providing additional resources for our current and future faculty. More importantly, their gift supports and strengthens Assumption’s enduring commitment to the Catholic intellectual tradition. This is a tremendous investment in our mission, in our faculty and in our students.”

A 1964 Assumption graduate and a trustee of the College from 1991-1999, Donald D’Amour is chairman and CEO of Big Y Foods, Inc., based in Springfield (MA). Michele D’Amour oversees the independent supermarket chain’s educational partnership initiatives. The D’Amours’ shared commitment to education at every level includes encouraging Catholic schools and colleges to strengthen their Catholic identity and liberal arts core.

“Though many colleges and universities have lost their religious roots, Assumption College continues to embrace its Catholic identity and protect the integrity of its mission, while also welcoming students and faculty with a diversity of backgrounds and religious beliefs into its vibrant academic community,” Don said. “Michele and I are very excited about Assumption’s new president and the direction in which he is taking the college. Since he arrived on campus last July, and in his inauguration address, Dr. Cesareo has articulated a vision for Assumption that we wholeheartedly support as essential to its growth. We consider this gift an investment in Assumption’s distinct high quality offerings for its present and future students.”

More than half of the couple’s $4.2 million gift to Assumption will be used to establish the Donald and Michele D’Amour Chair in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. In addition, their gift also endows a distinguished speakers program that will highlight aspects of the Catholic intellectual tradition, increases the endowment for the Fortin/Gonthier Foundations of Western Civilization Program, and establishes a new faculty development grant fund. The grants will provide resources for faculty to develop new courses within the Catholic intellectual tradition, the First-Year Experience and the new core curriculum.

The D’Amours issued a challenge to the Assumption trustees to enhance their gift by raising an additional $220,000 for the faculty development grant fund to bring that total to $1 million. The board has met that challenge, according to trustee chair Frederick Bayon ’65. “The trustees were thrilled to learn of the D’Amours’ generous gift to Assumption at our March meeting,” Bayon said. “We fully embraced their challenge to increase the faculty grant fund to $1 million, and we exceeded it by raising $225,000 within a month. This fund will benefit the entire Assumption faculty and, by extension, all Assumption students.”

Donald and Michele D’Amour joined President Cesareo at the annual faculty dinner Thursday evening to announce and share their motivation for making the $4.2 million gift.