$25 million naming gift from alumnus Douglas D. Schumann to school of engineering

Wentworth Institute of Technology is hoping the future just got a little more secure.

With the announcement of a $25 million gift from alumnus Douglas D. Schumann, President Mark Thompson is staking more than a bet on the institution’s recovery — he’s backing its transformation.

The gift, the largest single contribution in Wentworth’s history, arrives at a moment when the college, nestled in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, has been navigating financial headwinds, enrollment volatility, and a broader climate of uncertainty for small private institutions.

President Thompson, who joined Wentworth in 2019, describes the donation as “a little wiggle room” — a cushion and an accelerator — as the school expands its ambitions.

Schumann, an industrial equipment magnate and Wentworth alumnus from the class of 1964, has long been intertwined with the college’s development.

His prior gifts have helped build the library, fitness center, and endowed scholarships; his prior $500,000 contribution established the Wentworth Cares Fund during the pandemic.

Now, with this scale of giving, he cements his legacy while reshaping what Wentworth can accomplish.

The donation is earmarked for several priorities: shoring up the endowment, expanding financial aid, and launching new academic programs — particularly in artificial intelligence and engineering.

It will also undergird Wentworth’s broader campus plan, including new dorms and academic buildings, part of a long-term institutional master plan.

In recent years the engineering school has gained traction in rankings and program offerings; Schumann’s gift will rebrand it as the Douglas D. Schumann School of Engineering, aligning his name with Wentworth’s forward path.

For Thompson, who arrived from Quinnipiac University to lead Wentworth, the timing is critical.

The college is balancing back toward stability: after years of deficits, the budget is expected to be in balance this year (for the first time since 2021).

Thompson leans on what he calls Wentworth’s “secret sauce”: relatively lower tuition compared to peer institutions, strong co-op and job placement outcomes, and a practical, career-centered curriculum.

He sees Schumann’s gift as not just reassurance, but fuel for expansion — a signal to prospective students, faculty, and partners that Wentworth is in growth mode.

Schumann has repeatedly voiced that his motive is simple: Wentworth shaped his path and he wants others to benefit. “Wentworth is pretty close to my soul,” he said, underscoring his desire to prevent the institution from ever feeling resource-starved when new ideas emerge.

Still, this is not a guaranteed turnaround. Some in the community note that Thompson’s leadership has been contested in past years: notably, the faculty and librarians cast a vote of no confidence during the pandemic over safety and administrative decisions.

But the new gift represents an institutional inflection point: a chance to consolidate gains, upgrade infrastructure, broaden academic reach, and deepen financial resilience.

With $25 million in hand, Wentworth can underwrite scholarships, recruit stronger faculty, expand labs, and move projects from plan to reality.

For Thompson and his team, it’s a high-stakes play on Wentworth’s rebound — a conviction bet from donor and president alike that the next chapter is within reach.