UW-Green Bay announces $3 million gift from the David A. Cofrin Charitable Trust
The visionary partnership between the Cofrin family and the university continues with this gift to the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business
GREEN BAY – UW-Green Bay is honored to announce the latest gift from the David A. Cofrin Charitable Trust. The $3 million commitment will support the mission of the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business and continue the Cofrin family’s vision of a business school to serve the entire northeast Wisconsin region. “We are once again humbled by the generosity of the Cofrin family,” said Chancellor Michael Alexander. “This gift will further support the students in our university, allowing them to confidently invest in themselves through learning and innovation, and then share these talents within our communities.”
Nearing 10,000 enrolled students university-wide, this significant gift comes at a time when enrollment growth and a focus on serving the region highlights the positive momentum of the university. This is exactly what Dr. David Cofrin had in mind when he made his initial gift to start the business school in 2009. He envisioned a school that could stand on its own and give the region a pool of graduates passionate about supporting the local economy through innovation, service and sustainability.
“This gift reflects the continued progress and maturation of the Cofrin School of Business to a size and quality capable of serving Northeast Wisconsin,” said Mathew Dornbush, dean of the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business. Interactive classrooms, and the associates, bachelors and masters-level degree options help to develop in-demand skills and increase students’ earning potential. In addition, graduates from the Cofrin School of Business share their knowledge in the region, as 70% of graduates now work in Northeast Wisconsin.
During their lifetimes, Dr. David and Mary Ann Cofrin have donated more than $22 million to UW-Green Bay. Of note, $5 million to the Weidner Center for its initial construction in 1993 and $4.5 million for the lobby expansion in 1998, $4 million to launch the business school in 2009, and $3 million to further the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business with this most recent gift.
About the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business
The Cofrin School of Business was established in 2010 through the generosity of the family of Austin E. Cofrin, the founder of Green Bay’s Fort Howard Paper Company. Today the college serves over 1,500 degree seeking students at the associate, bachelor, and master’s degree level. The potential for external collaboration is supported through the Small Business Development Center, the newly established Willie D. Davis Finance and Investment Laboratory,the Charles Schwab Foundation Center for Personal Financial Planning, a partnership with TitletownTech and other numerous long-standing relationships. For more information, visit https://www.uwgb.edu/csb/
About UW-Green Bay
Established in 1965, UW-Green Bay is a public institution serving more than 9,800 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students and 95,000 continuing education learners each year. We educate students from pre- college through retirement and offer 200+ degrees, programs and certificates. UW-Green Bay graduates are resilient, inclusive, sustaining and engaged members of their communities, ready to rise to fearlessly face challenges, solve problems and embrace diverse ideas and people. With four campus locations, the University welcomes students from every corner of the world. In 2021, UW-Green Bay was the fastest-growing UW school in Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
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