Cleveland State University gets huge gift from late graduate’s estate

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Cleveland State University announced that it has been given its largest gift ever by an individual donor in the school’s history.

The almost $15 million gift comes from the estate of Katherine and Walter McCombs.

Mr. McCombs is a 1976 graduate of the CSU College of Law.

CSU was the only school to offer him a scholarship.

A portion of the gift is allocated to the existing Walter Lee McCombs Endowed Scholarship Fund in the College of Law, providing scholarships for law students, according to the school.

The majority of the gift will establish the Katherine F. McCombs and Walter Lee McCombs Transformative Impact Fund, which will enable CSU to help students in need cover the costs of tuition, room and board, and more.

“What an extraordinary moment in Cleveland State’s history. We are so grateful for this historic gift,” President Bloomberg said.CSU made a lasting impact on the life of Walter McCombs, and thanks to his and his wife Katherine’s decision to pay it forward, many of our high-need students will have the resources they need to remain focused on their degree programs. There’s no better way to honor the tremendous generosity of Walter and Katherine McCombs than to provide a transformational education to our students.”

CSU will renovate its outdoor plaza between the Student Center and Rhodes Tower, naming it the McCombs Family Plaza in recognition of the McCombs’s donation.

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