Marian University receives historic $29 million donation for College of Osteopathic Medicine

Marian University has received the largest-ever single donation to the school in its history: $29 million from the Tom & Julie Wood Family Foundation. The donation will go to the school’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is now named after Tom and Julie Wood. The donation was announced at a recent white coat ceremony.

According to an article on Marian University’s website, Julie Wood made a speech at the white coat ceremony, explaining why she is donating such a large sum. She was quoted as saying, "On behalf of my entire family, we are deeply honored to support Marian University and have great admiration for Marian’s commitment to recruit and educate physicians for the state of Indiana. We believe in the mission of the school and its commitment to training compassionate and skilled healthcare professionals. We hope this gift will enhance the facilities and resources available to students and ensure that Indiana continues to benefit from dedicated primary care physicians. My late husband, Tom, would be very proud knowing that our resources are being invested with an institution like Marian University who shares our commitment to central Indiana and enhancing the community that has done so much for our family.”

The Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine opened in 2013 and at this year’s white coat ceremony graduated more than 1,000 students. The Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine is the only school of osteopathic medicine in the state of Indiana and aims to educate future healthcare providers who will stay in the state and practice in rural areas to help overcome shortages in the area. 

This historic donation will bolster the College of Osteopathic Medicine in numerous ways, such as introducing an endowed scholarship for students who will become Indiana primary care physicians, establishing endowed faculty positions, upgrading the facilities within the College, and establishing more clinical rotation opportunities as well as developing new clinical sites for student practice.

Amanda Wright, DO, who serves as the dean of the Tom and Julie Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine, shared her enthusiasm for the donation, saying, “This donation from Julie Wood and her family will revolutionize our ability to provide an exceptional medical education. It will enable us to attract and support talented faculty, offer more robust clinical training, and create opportunities for our students that will shape the future of Indiana healthcare. We are incredibly grateful for their generosity and belief in our mission.”

Daniel J. Elsener, president of Marian University, stated, "This generous gift will have a lasting impact on the Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine, allowing us to enhance our educational offerings, expand clinical training opportunities, and ultimately improve healthcare outcomes in Indiana. We deeply appreciate the generosity from the Wood family and their belief in our mission to be a great Catholic university by living out our Catholic Franciscan values.”

For more information about Marian University, visit the school’s website.