$20 million donation to university for school of computing from Vietnam-born tech entrepreneurs Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen
Kimmy Duong and Long Nguyen, two of the Washington, D.C. region’s most prominent philanthropists, have made a landmark $20 million donation to George Mason University through the Kimmy Duong Foundation.
The gift, which will name the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong School of Computing, is among the largest in the university’s history and carries an estimated total impact of $36 million when factoring in Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program and other matching initiatives.
The funding will be divided across three major endowments: two within the College of Engineering and Computing to support scholarships and student success, and one under University Life to create the Long Nguyen and Kimmy Duong Scholarship Endowment, with special preference for students in nursing, education, and journalism.
This milestone builds upon a long-standing legacy of support for George Mason University.
In 2009, Nguyen and Duong donated $5 million, which resulted in the naming of the Nguyen Engineering Building, a hub for the university’s growing engineering programs.
Their most recent gift reflects their commitment not only to higher education but also to expanding opportunities for underrepresented students in the fields of technology, health, and the humanities.
The couple’s philanthropy extends well beyond Mason. Since establishing the Kimmy Duong Foundation in 2015, they have given more than $4 million to Washington-area institutions.
At the University of Maryland, they contributed $2 million in 2017 to fund scholarships for engineering and business students, and in 2025, Duong pledged an additional $1 million to establish the “Giving Back Maryland Promise Scholarship,” a program matched by both the university and the A—James & Alice B. Clark Foundation to benefit undergraduates in journalism and public policy.
They have also supported Montgomery College with $1 million to promote diversity through scholarships and provided $1.1 million to Northern Virginia Community College to bolster student aid.
Born in Vietnam and having built successful careers in business and technology in the United States, Nguyen and Duong have dedicated their philanthropy to what they describe as “giving back” to both their adopted country and their community.
Their foundation manages assets in the tens of millions, with annual disbursements reaching into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While education remains their primary focus, they have also supported health and welfare initiatives across both the U.S. and Vietnam.
Their generosity reflects a belief in the transformative power of education and the importance of investing in future generations, ensuring that students from all backgrounds can pursue their ambitions and make meaningful contributions to society.