A transformative anonymous donation, expected to surpass $50 million, has been pledged to the University of Washington to cover tuition costs for students in its medical laboratory science programme for the next half-century.
A Surprise Announcement for Grateful Students
Dr. Tim Dellit, Dean of the university's School of Medicine, made the surprise announcement on Monday to approximately 30 undergraduate students. According to The Seattle Times, each student will have tuition covered for two quarters of their senior-year clinical rotations. The emotional reaction was immediate, with student Jasmine Wertz stating she was "really shocked" and "extremely grateful," her eyes filling with tears.
Medical laboratory science students are trained to perform critical clinical tests on patient samples, which are essential for diagnosing, treating, and preventing disease. Their clinical rotations are notoriously time-intensive, making it difficult for students to maintain part-time employment during this period. The gift, valued at roughly $8,000 to $10,000 per student, provides crucial financial relief.
Addressing a Critical Workforce Shortage
The generous funding will also allow the programme to expand significantly, growing from 70 to 100 students over the next decade. This expansion tackles an urgent need identified by UW Medicine. The field in Washington state is contending with rising demand and an aging workforce, creating a pressing shortage of skilled clinical laboratory professionals.
"You are the glue, in many ways, of our entire health system," Dr. Dellit told the students. "You are the unsung heroes. You work behind the scenes that allow all of the health care machinery to work."
A Trend of Transformational Educational Gifts
This donation is part of a notable national trend of substantial gifts aimed at reducing educational costs. Key recent examples include:
- A $1 billion donation from Ruth Gottesman to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York in 2024, making tuition free.
- A $1 billion gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies to Johns Hopkins University, covering tuition for most medical students.
- A $50 million donation from Marshall University's President Brad Smith and his wife Alys in September 2025 to eliminate student debt for West Virginian students from lower-income families.
While the University of Washington donor, a Washington state resident with a prior connection to the programme, wishes to remain anonymous, their celebration style was revealed. True to their reported fondness for local burger chain Dick's, platters piled high with burgers were served as students celebrated the life-changing news.
