Case Western Reserve University on Friday announced the reception of a $125 million gift from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation.
The donation is the largest in the foundation's history, according to a news release issued by CWRU. Funds will support four areas across the university, with a focus on humanities and social sciences:
- Establish the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Building, a 50,000-square-foot center for humanities studies, workspaces, and research
- Scholarship endowment at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences through the continuation of Mandel Dean’s Scholarships
- Creation of the Morton L. Mandel Presidential Chair, with President Eric W. Kaler as the inaugural holder
- Expansion of the Experimental Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The university said the support will "elevate the humanities as a central force in shaping interdisciplinary discovery and driving ethical, inclusive technological advancement," adding it will also bolster scholarships to address a need for social workers. 75 of Ohio's 88 counties were designated as mental health professional shortage areas in July 2025, according to Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
"The Mandel Foundation's investment in Case Western Reserve reflects our continued belief in the increasing value and importance of higher education, particularly in the humanities," Stephen Hoffman, Mandel Foundation board chair and CWRU trustee, said in Friday's news release. "It represents our confidence in President [Eric W.] Kaler's leadership and vision as well as the remarkable momentum of this university as it celebrates its bicentennial.”
The foundation has previously gifted about $70 million to the school, according to the release.
