Two institutions have received historic nine-figure gifts.

Georgia Institute of Technology alumnus John Durstine, who died in February, donated $100 million to his alma mater for faculty development at the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, from which he graduated in 1957. The bequest, the largest single gift in Georgia Tech’s history, will establish endowed chairs, professorships and faculty awards to ensure the retention and development of mechanical engineering faculty.

“John could have left his estate to many good causes, and he chose to invest in Georgia Tech’s faculty because he knew firsthand the transformative impact that our outstanding faculty have in the lives and careers of our students,” said Georgia Tech president Ángel Cabrera. “This gift will have an enduring impact and will ensure that Georgia Tech faculty have the resources to push the boundaries of mechanical engineering, inspire our students, and help improve the human condition.”

In addition, Colby College in Maine announced an anonymous $150 million lead commitment for the construction of a state-of-the-art $300 million science complex, slated to open in 2030. The gift, the largest in Colby’s history, will spur a half-billion-dollar investment in the college’s science and technology offerings.

Specifically, the funding will be used to expand programs and faculty in engineering, public health and the applied sciences.

“The lines between fundamental and applied research have been blurred in recent years, with science-driven technologies changing the very nature of health care, environmental stewardship, and business growth,” said Colby president David Greene. “For many scientists today, their work is most productive and their progress most robust when it involves a collaborative approach to joining basic and applied research. And for our students, that intersection of fundamental discoveries with the development of new tools based on those discoveries is the key to how science will play a central role in solving longstanding challenges.”