John and Tashia Morgridge are being honored with a Distinguished Service Award from the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA), recognizing their unparalleled impact on UW–Madison.
In the 69 years since they graduated with degrees in education (Tashia) and business (John), the Morgridges have made philanthropic gifts to UW–Madison on an unprecedented scale.
“Through their visionary giving, the Morgridges have positively transformed every corner of the UW–Madison campus, supporting new facilities and creating enduring opportunities for discovery, teaching, and public service,” notes a story published by the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
The story continues to outline the Morgridges’ extraordinary generosity, which is felt all across campus including in the School of Education, where Tashia has served on the Board of Visitors. Among their many contributions, they made a generous gift to renovate and expand the Education Building. The Morgridges have also given generously to support the School’s Impact 2030 initiative, which includes the UW–Madison School of Education Wisconsin Teacher Pledge program, among many other efforts.
At the campus level, in 2014 they made a gift to UW–Madison that was then the largest single contribution from individual donors in the UW’s history. 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.
Read the full WAA story to learn more about the Morgridges transformational impact across the university.
“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.”