Case Western Reserve University announced Friday the reception of a $125 million gift from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation and the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation
The donation is the largest in the foundation's history, according to a news release issued by CWRU, and possibly the largest donation ever for higher education history in Ohio, said university president Eric Kaler in a brief interview Friday. He said the gift is especially unique for its focus on bolstering humanities and social science studies at a time when many universities are focused heavily on science, technology, engineering and math disciplines.
"I'm a chemical engineer by background, and I understand people want to do STEM. But if you don't know where you've come from, that's history, (and) if you don't understand the environment you're in, which is sociology and psychology, and you can't communicate, you're really not going to be a very good engineer or scientist," Kaler said. "So getting a well-rounded education and exposures to different ways of thinking is really important. It's what makes the difference between an educated person and a trained person."
Funds will support four areas across the university, with a focus on humanities and social sciences:
- Establish the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Building, a 50,000-square-foot center for humanities studies, workspaces, and research
- Scholarship endowment at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences through the continuation of Mandel Dean’s Scholarships
- Creation of the Morton L. Mandel Presidential Chair, with President Eric W. Kaler as the inaugural holder
- Expansion of the Experimental Humanities Program in the College of Arts and Sciences.
The university said the support will "elevate the humanities as a central force in shaping interdisciplinary discovery and driving ethical, inclusive technological advancement," adding it will also bolster scholarships to address a need for social workers. Seventy-five of Ohio's 88 counties were designated as mental health professional shortage areas in July 2025, according to Health Policy Institute of Ohio.
"The Mandel Foundation's investment in Case Western Reserve reflects our continued belief in the increasing value and importance of higher education, particularly in the humanities," Stephen Hoffman, Mandel Foundation board chair and CWRU trustee, said in Friday's news release. "It represents our confidence in President (Eric W.) Kaler's leadership and vision as well as the remarkable momentum of this university as it celebrates its bicentennial.”
The foundation has previously gifted about $70 million to the school, according to the release. The Mandel Foundation and CWRU enjoy close ties beyond that. Stephen Hoffman, a CWRU board member, is also chair of the Mandel Foundation's board, and Thomas "Thom" Mandel, another Mandel family member, is also on CWRU's board.
"The Mandel Foundation's investment in Case Western Reserve reflects our continued belief in the increasing value and importance of higher education, particularly in the humanities," Hoffman said in the news release. "It represents our confidence in President [Eric W.] Kaler's leadership and vision as well as the remarkable momentum of this university as it celebrates its bicentennial.”
Morton, Jack and Joseph Mandel, three Cleveland-born brothers, founded the Premier Automotive Supply Company in 1940, which eventually became one of the world's biggest industrial parts and electronic component distributors, according to the Mandel Foundation's website.
According to the site, the brothers' "key areas of engagement" with the foundation, are on "building just, compassionate and democratic societies in the United States and Israel, with a vision of improving the quality of life for all people in both countries. These include leadership development, management of nonprofits, humanities, Jewish life, and urban engagement. Through intentional grantmaking and operational development, the Mandel Foundation and its founders’ legacy continues to grow through leadership development programs and institutions in Cleveland, Boston, and Israel."
