Monte Ahuja's family and foundation give Cleveland State $10 million to remake its business school

Cleveland State University announced a $10 million gift from the Ahuja Foundation and the family of alumnus Monte Ahuja on Wednesday, October 14, during President Laura Bloomberg's annual State of the University address, according to the university's announcement. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine joined the event, WOSU reported.

What the gift will pay for

The university said the money will fund an overhaul of all undergraduate and graduate business programs, with learning spaces that reflect the impact of AI and other emerging technologies, financial support for students and expanded corporate partnerships. The business college has about 2,200 students. The Ahuja family also pledged $100,000 a year to recognize faculty for research, mentorship and expertise.

"This gift will transform business education in Northeast Ohio," Bloomberg said in the announcement. Ahuja said, "My time as a CSU student was instrumental in my career, and we want to give many more students that same transformational experience."

A repeat donor and a proposed new name

Monte and Usha Ahuja gave $10 million in 2011, after which the trustees named the Monte Ahuja College of Business. With the new gift, the couple and the Ahuja Foundation become the largest lifetime donors in the university's history, CSU said. Their earlier giving includes a scholarship fund started in 1992 that has supported more than 1,500 students and an endowed chair in global business created in 2019.

The university said its Board of Trustees "will meet to approve a plan" to rename the college the Ahuja College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The rename is a proposal until trustees vote. Ahuja founded Transtar Industries, a supplier of transmission and drivetrain parts, in 1975 and served on the CSU board from 1991 to 2000, six years as chair. WOSU reported that DeWine said he has known Ahuja for about 40 years and noted that Ahuja has donated to his campaigns.

What other schools and donors can note

In our view, the gift shows the value of a long relationship: a donor who gave once, stayed involved and gave again. Small nonprofits can borrow the approach by keeping a record of what each major donor funded and what changed because of it, then reporting back before asking again. For the longer view of how major donors give, see slow philanthropy and major donors.