2024 Alumni Awards

“It has allowed us to be involved with young minds, to be lifelong learners, and to share our insights and wisdom with others.”

biomedical research and public engagement, affiliated with the taxpayer-supported Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery. That same year, they made a generous gift to renovate and expand the School of Education building, where Tashia has served on the board of visitors. Keeping their commitment to educational opportunity, the Morgridges also created an endowment to launch the Fund for Wisconsin Scholars (FFWS). The private, nonprofit foundation provides grants and stipends to graduates of Wisconsin public high schools who go on to attend Wisconsin public colleges and universities. Since 2007, FFWS has awarded more than $140 million to more than 28,200 students from low-income backgrounds. Some 3,500 FFWS students have graduated nearly debt-free. In 2014, the Morgridges made a gift to UW–Madison that was then the largest single contribution from individual donors in the UW’s history. “This is an investment in UW–Madison and the state of Wisconsin that will help secure their place in our shared future.” That generous gift continues to help recruit and retain world-class UW faculty through matching funds for new and enhanced professorships, chairs, and distinguished chairs. In 2020, the couple contributed another gift in matching funds to inspire other donors to support faculty recruitment and retention. And in 2021, the Morgridges stepped up to make a lead commitment of $125 million for the new School of Computer, Data & Information Sciences (CDIS). Their gifts and challenge grants supported construction of state-of-the art facilities for CDIS, a high-tech hub where students and scholars work at the intersection of technology and humanity, advancing fields such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and data science. “This is an investment in UW–Madison and the state of Wisconsin that will help secure their place in our shared future,” John said. The Morgridges’ ongoing financial support for UW–Madison reflects their 2010 commitment to the Giving Pledge, signed by several prominent philanthropists who intend to share most of their wealth through giving during their lifetimes.

“We’re not leaving it to someone else to give away,” John has said. “We’re going to do it.” As the Morgridges support excellence far and wide across the UW campus — from computer sciences and literacy, to economics, geoscience, health systems innovation, pediatric nursing, and more — they also make time to celebrate their relationship with the UW and with one another. “We never talk about just John Morgridge or Tashia Morgridge,” Tashia once said. “We have been partners all the way along.” Both Tashia and John have received honorary degrees from UW–Madison. The couple even celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary with a pair of faculty chairs — they gave one another the gifts of named chairs in the UW Department of Computer Sciences and the School of Education. “I have been invigorated by the engagement both John and I have been able to have here at the university,” Tashia has said. “It has allowed us to be involved with young minds, to be lifelong learners, and to share our insights and wisdom with others.”

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WISCONSIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION