This issue of the Weekly Heartbeat is headlined by a transformative $50 million grant to Cleveland Clinic to launch its Community Bridge to Care Initiative, alongside a historic $43.2 million gift to rededicate the University of Cincinnati’s College of Law. Other major stories include an FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for an innovative CAR-T cell therapy at WashU Medicine, a $2.5 million commitment for pediatric heart research at Arkansas Children’s, and a $2 million gift advancing health sciences at Xavier University.
Historic $43.2M to University of Cincinnati to Support Scholarships and Experiential Learning
The Klekamp family has directed a historic $43.2 million gift to the University of Cincinnati in honor of 1957 alumnus Donald Klekamp. Marking the largest commitment in the law school’s nearly 200-year history, the funds will rededicate the institution as the Donald P. Klekamp College of Law. The transformational investment will be pledged over time to advance four core impact areas: a robust scholarship program to recruit top-tier talent, expanded experiential learning opportunities, comprehensive student success initiatives, and the elevation of the Corporate Law Center. Read more here.
$42M from MacKenzie Scott to Elizabeth City State University
The Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation has directed a $50 million grant to launch Cleveland Clinic’s Community Bridge to Care Initiative. By integrating clinical excellence with advanced digital innovation, the visionary project will establish a new Level I Trauma Center on the Main Campus and deploy an AI-powered “Digital Front Door.” This innovative, connected system is designed to shorten delays, lower emergency department congestion, and ensure surrounding communities receive life-saving, specialized care as quickly and seamlessly as possible. Read more here.
FDA Grants Breakthrough Designation to WashU Medicine’s Innovative CAR-T Therapy
An “off-the-shelf” cell-based immunotherapy developed by WashU researchers has earned Breakthrough Therapy designation from the FDA. Licensed to WashU startup Wugen, the novel CAR-T cell therapy is designed to treat rare and highly aggressive blood cancers, such as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and lymphoma (T-LL). Because the treatment can be prepared in advance from healthy donor cells, it eliminates the lengthy wait times of traditional customized therapies, offering a faster path to life-saving care and demonstrating a remarkable 91% overall response rate in early-phase trials. Read more here.
$2M to Xavier University to Advance Proposed Medical School and Nursing Program
Xavier University has received a $2 million gift from alumnus Gary Sharpe and his wife, Connie, to support the university’s strategic expansion in the health sciences. The commitment will be divided evenly to bolster the College of Nursing and aid in the development of the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine. Slated to open in the fall of 2027, the new institution remains on track to become the world’s first Jesuit osteopathic medical school. Read more here.
$2.5M to Arkansas Children’s to Advance Pediatric Heart Research
Log A Load For Kids of Arkansas has directed a $2.5 million commitment to Arkansas Children’s to support pediatric heart research. Building on a more than 30-year partnership and following a previous $2.5 million endowment in 2024, the funding will drive innovation in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of children with complex cardiovascular conditions. This continued philanthropic support empowers the nationally ranked Arkansas Children’s Heart Institute to improve patient outcomes and advance life-saving, evidence-based medicine across the region. Read more here.
