13 WTHR - Indianapolis News |IU School of Music gets $40 million

IU School of Music gets $40 million

Rich Van Wyk/Eyewitness News

Bloomington, Nov. 17 - A fabulous performance celebrated an astounding gift, $40.6 million is more than the single biggest donation in the history of Indiana University.

IU President Dr. Adam Herbert says it's also "the biggest single gift bestowed on any public university in the nation."

It comes from David and Barbara Jacobs. They graduated from IU, sent their children to IU, became generous benefactors of IU and when mom asked David Junior what he wanted for his birthday, David asked for an endowment making IU's School of Music "the Indiana University Jacob's School of Music."

At first David Jacobs says mom laughed at the idea, but later agreed, "which only goes to prove, if you can't take no for answer and your heart is in the right place, you can do almost anything. Thank you mom. Thank you."

Unlike other big gifts that go to buildings, facilities and equipment, this gift goes to people, millions for additional professors, graduate student fellowships and undergraduate scholarships, pairing opportunity with dreams.

Student Kathryn Leemhuis says the gift is "going to do amazing things. It is going to bring people here who have the talent, but don't have the funds and means to be here."

With students from around the world, a family's generosity for generations will influence a world of music.