Lawrence Technological University receives gift to enhance College of Architecture and Design

John and Michele Donley have donated $1 million to Lawrence Technological University’s College of Architecture and Design. Their gift has been split into three separate endowments that will enhance various aspects of the College of Architecture and Design. In addition to their initial gift, the Donleys will match donations toward each of the three endowments up to $500,000.

According to an article on Lawrence Technological University’s website, Tarek Sobh, the university’s president, was quoted as saying of the gift, “We are very grateful for this generous gift. These resources will support an annual scholarship for the next generation of visionary designers, enhance innovative teaching practices within the College of Architecture and Design, and ensure ongoing restoration of the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Affleck House.”

The Affleck House was donated to Lawrence Technological University in 1978 and is now going to be supported by one of the three endowments from the Donleys. Their gift will support the Donley Affleck House Maintenance Fund, which will help with the expenses that come along with maintaining and operating the house. The house is used as a learning resource for architecture and design students at the university. Up until this point, the house has been maintained through the efforts of alumni, but there is always something in need of additional help with the house.

Karl Daubmann, the dean of the College of Architecture and Design, explained how beneficial the Donley Affleck House Maintenance Fund will be. He said, “When John told me that he and Michelle wanted to reduce the anxiety for maintaining the house and transform it into a true asset through their donation, I had an immediate and emotional response, a weight lifted off the shoulders of the college. The gift allows us to intensify the connection of education, architecture and design to the broader architectural community familiar with the Affleck House and the Usonian tradition, a style of affordable, single-story homes created by Wright.”

Another of the endowments created by the Donley’s gift is the Donley “Affleck Fellow” fund, which will give individuals the opportunity to become paid fellows for a one-year appointment to teach and research within the College of Architecture and Design.

The final endowment is the establishment of a merit-based scholarship for master’s level architecture students called The Donley Endowed Graduate Scholarship. Full time students can receive up to $11,500 per year for tuition and will also receive funding for conference attendance and other opportunities that will enhance their research.

John Donley’s father, Edward Donley, graduated from Lawrence Technological University in 1943 and went on to have a successful career in engineering with Air Products and Chemicals. He received a scholarship during his time at LTU, and before his passing in 2017, he established the Edward Donley Scholars Program.

Speaking of the couple’s decision to donate their money to these causes, John Donley said, “My dad was an ebullient optimist; he would always say that the future is bright, and the key thing is to build for the future. He felt lucky to be able to offer today’s students the same helping hand LTU extended to him, and Michele and I feel very lucky we can help carry the tradition forward.”

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