A Transformational Investment
This Fall, Daniel J. Riccio Jr. ’86, ’24MS committed $50 million to support immediate and long-term initiatives to fuel innovative research, strengthen academic excellence, and expand access and opportunity for generations of UMass Amherst engineering students.
This is the largest gift in campus history, and it signals a new era for New England’s top-ranked public engineering program. In recognition of Riccio’s generosity, the university established the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering.
Riccio, recently retired from Apple Inc., played a lead role in creating some of the world’s most impactful products. At Apple from 1998 to 2024, he built highly skilled product design and engineering teams; established Apple’s world-class product development process; and delivered revolutionary, category-defining products including the iMac, iPad, iPhone, AirPods, and the Vision Pro.
“As a proud alum, I’ve seen UMass Amherst, including its College of Engineering, become a world- class institution over the past 20 years. While UMass has come a long way, I believe it has untapped potential and with the right level of investment and support, its best days are yet to come,” said Riccio. “This said, I’m excited to make this gift and partner with UMass to take the College of Engineering to the next level and build on its mission of revolutionizing engineering and making the world a better place.”
Riccio’s gift will create scholarships and fellowships that increase access for the best and brightest students; endowed chairs and professorships that help the college attract and retain top faculty; a catalyst fund to power new initiatives at the intersections of technology, health, design, and leadership; and the Riccio Research and Innovation Fund, which will strengthen the college’s ability to pursue cutting-edge work in areas such as artificial intelligence and robotics, quantum information systems, materials and nanotechnology, advanced manufacturing, and biomedical engineering.
“This donation marks a monumental step forward in lengthening our lead in research and innovation. In Massachusetts, we believe in making investments to help cure diseases, fuel our economy and drive us forward,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I am thankful to Dan Riccio for strengthening UMass Amherst’s research and engineering departments, which is great for our students and great for Massachusetts.”
Riccio’s $50 million gift will be further amplified through $25 million in institutional resources, including funds made available from a UMass endowment matching program.