A $10 million gift to Grinnell College from the estate trust of late alum and tech revolution architect Robert N. Noyce following the 2024 death of his widow, Ann Bowers, will strengthen the Iowa school’s computer science instruction and support other initiatives at one of the Midwest’s premier liberal arts colleges.
The college announced the gift in a news release, saying $4 million will go to establish an endowed chair in computer science, with the remainder divided among a fund for curricular development, an endowed scholarship and an endowed fund for scientific equipment. A portion of the gift also will support the college’s Pioneer Fund, which addresses what the school says are its “most pressing needs.”
Noyce, who died in 1990, was an Iowa native and co-founder of Intel Corp., which remains one of the world’s largest manufacturers of semiconductors — the microchips that are at the heart of everything from smart phones to sophisticated medical equipment. He famously made it possible for Grinnell to get in on the ground floor of Intel’s early stock offering, launching the college on its way to building an endowment that helps it enroll top students without consideration of their financial status.
Grinnell College.
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In a recent ranking, it was the only institution of higher education in Iowa to be named among America’s most selective colleges.
Bowers also was an Intel exec, one of the few female leaders in the industry’s early days. Both she and her husband served as Grinnell trustees, and her philanthropy also has been key in the growth of the computer science program at her alma mater, New York’s Cornell University.
Computer science enrollment grows rapidly at Grinnell
In the news release, Peter-Michael Osera, chair of Grinnell’s Department of Computer Science, said the endowed chair will help the department meet growing demand throughout the college for education in artificial intelligence, data science and related fields.
“Computing is ubiquitous in society,” Osera said. “The depth of interdisciplinary work in the Computer Science department, from our students’ interests in other majors to our multi-themed introductory courses, reflects this fact.”
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He also noted that Grinnell’s enrollment of computer science majors has grown more than 10-fold over the past decade, with many pursing dual majors in other fields.
Bernadine Douglas, Grinnell vice president of development and alumni relations, said Noyce, in addition to being “the force behind discoveries that shape how we live today,” also was known as “The Mayor of Silicon Valley”’” Douglas said he “recognized the power of collaboration and the potential for technology to have a positive influence on people’s lives”
“It will be exciting to see how these principles, which he and Ann Bowers held dear, will be reflected by the faculty and students who benefit from this gift for years to come,” Douglas said.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Grinnell College gets $10M gift to boost computer science program
