$10 million gift from John and Tashia Morgridge to college

Alverno College said this is one of the largest donations it has received in its 137-year history.

John and Tashia Morgridge said they hope their donation inspires other people to donate to Alverno College as well.

“We are deeply grateful for the Morgridges’ extraordinary investment in Alverno College at an important moment in our history,” Christy L. Brown, president of Alverno College, said. “The Morgridges’ gift will have an immediate and lasting impact on Alverno and our students. And we are thrilled that the Morgridges have asked for this gift to be used as a challenge to our community to come forward with their best gift to Alverno.”

Alverno College said the donation will support strategic growth and innovation.

“We are grateful to John and Tashia for their transformational gift to Alverno,” Kathy Hudson, chair of the Alverno College board of trustees, said. “John and Tashia have an extraordinary history of supporting education at Alverno. This gift is a clear affirmation that the work of Alverno faculty, staff and students matters and is vital to our community.”

John and Tashia Morgridge graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1955. John majored in business and Tashia majored in education. John went on to become the chairman of Cisco Systems.

Tashia is a retired special education teacher who has been a volunteer teacher for students with learning disabilities. Both John and Tashia have been involved at UW–Madison for many years, with John serving on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Tashia serving on the board of visitors for the School of Education.

They are founders and members of the board of trustees of the Morgridge Institute for Research, and founders and board members of the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars. John and Tashia are residents of Portola Valley, California.