EAST LANSING, MICH. — Michigan State University alumni Dan and Jennifer Gilbert are donating $15 million from their family foundation to support a new addition and renovation of the Breslin Center at MSU. The renovation will enhance the fan experience for the more than 500,000 people who attend basketball games and other events at the arena each year. The gift will also support two MSU programs: the Detroit Scholars Program (DSP) and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD). The donation is one of the largest in MSU’s Empower Extraordinary campaign, which has raised more than $1.26 billion since 2011 to support global problem-solving research, endowed faculty positions, enhanced facilities and student opportunities.
Dan Gilbert is founder and chairman of Quicken Loans Inc. and Rock Ventures LLC, the umbrella entity for Gilbert’s portfolio of companies and investments, including his commercial real estate holdings. He is also majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers. His wife, Jennifer, is founder and CEO of Amber Engine, a business-to-business cloud-based platform that seeks to transform the way manufacturers and retailers of home furnishings and décor conduct business.