A Historic Investment in Future Leaders

Today, the University of St. Thomas announced a historic commitment of $82 million from the Ciresi Walburn Foundation and the Michael V. and Ann C. Ciresi Foundation. The gift represents the largest commitment in the University’s history, one of the largest gifts ever made to a Minnesota college or university, and among the state’s most significant investments in university student access and support.

At Ciresi Conlin, we are proud to celebrate this extraordinary milestone and the vision behind it.

For decades, Mike and Ann Ciresi and Roberta Walburn have championed the transformative power of education, leadership, public service, and opportunity. Through their philanthropic leadership and the work of the foundations, they have helped expand educational opportunities and support future generations of leaders dedicated to making a difference in their communities.

This historic commitment will establish and endow the Ciresi Walburn Center for Leadership and provide enduring support for the Ciresi Walburn Leadership Fellows, a scholarship program that serves students with financial need who have demonstrated a commitment to leadership, service, and social justice.

The commitment is designed to create lasting opportunities for generations of students while advancing the values that have long guided the work of the foundations: educational access, leadership development, equity, service, and social justice.

Those of us at Ciresi Conlin have seen firsthand Mike’s unwavering belief that talent and potential exist everywhere, and that education can be one of the most powerful forces for creating opportunity and positive change. This commitment reflects a lifetime dedicated not only to advocacy and justice, but also to investing in people and helping future leaders realize their potential.

We congratulate Mike and Ann Ciresi, Roberta Walburn, the Ciresi Walburn Foundation, the Michael V. and Ann C. Ciresi Foundation, and the University of St. Thomas on this remarkable achievement. We are honored to celebrate a commitment that will strengthen communities, inspire future leaders, and create opportunities for generations to come.