An anonymous trustee's $1.5 million gift to Elmhurst University's School of Business could bring more industry-experienced professors to campus, students say, and give more undergraduates the financial support to stay enrolled.

"On the professorship side I would love to see someone brought in with real industry experience, someone who can bridge the gap between the classroom and what is actually happening in business right now," Hamza Denguezli told The Elmhurst Leader.

An unnamed member of Elmhurst University's Board of Trustees has committed more than $1.5 million to the School of Business, the university announced on Aug. 25. The money will fund an endowed professorship and a $150,000 undergraduate scholarship.

The Chicago Tribune reported Sept. 4 that the gift is structured as an estate commitment, meaning the full amount will transfer from the donor's estate. Business is one of the university's most popular areas of study, the Tribune noted, and the donor said the school "has many options for growth."

The donor chose to remain anonymous. In the university's press release, the trustee said a lifelong admiration for Elmhurst and its student-centered mission motivated the gift. The endowed professorship will support a faculty member's scholarly work, while the scholarship targets undergraduates in programs spanning accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, management and marketing.

Elmhurst University President Troy VanAken said in the Aug. 25 announcement that the trustee's commitment will support students for years through direct scholarship aid and stronger academics. University officials, including co-dean Siaw-Peng Wan and advancement vice president Lia Kampman, said the gift will strengthen both student support and faculty resources.

The university has not announced a timeline for naming the endowed professorship or opening the scholarship to applicants.