Education

A former Apple exec just gave UMass Amherst its largest donation ever. Here’s how much.

The College of Engineering will be renamed to commemorate the donation from alumnus Daniel Riccio Jr.

Daniel Riccio Jr. made the largest donation in UMass' history on Monday. Handout/UMass

September 16, 2025

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UMass Amherst received its largest donation ever from an alumnus and former Apple executive, the college announced on Monday.

Daniel Riccio Jr., who earned a mechanical engineering degree from the school in 1986, donated $50 million for research, academic excellence, and opportunities for students.

“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,” Riccio, who also received his Master of Science from the college in 2024, wrote in the donation’s announcement.

“We are deeply grateful to Dan for his transformational gift and commitment to the future of engineering at UMass Amherst,” UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes wrote in the announcement. “His forward-thinking philanthropy and belief in our research and the impact of a UMass education will elevate the entire campus and empower UMass engineering students to shape their environment and the world for generations.”

To commemorate the donation, UMass Amherst will form the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering with a naming ceremony this fall, the college said.

The Riccio College of Engineering will be started with a $10 million catalyst fund. The fund will prioritize the development of a design curriculum with the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, creation of an engineering leadership program with the Isenberg School of Management, and exploration of the intersection of health and technology with the UMass Chan Medical School.

In 2022, Riccio and his wife, who earned her doctorate from the Chan school in 2003, donated $15 million to the Chan Medical School for ALS and neuroscience research, UMass reported.

Riccio recently retired from his job at Apple, where he built Apple’s Product Design team and led its development of major Apple products like the iMac, iPhone, and iPad.

Riccio became a member of UMass’s Dean’s Advisory Council for the College of Engineering in 2023. He received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the engineering college in April and the UMass Amherst Distinguished Achievement Award in May.

Additionally, $40 million from the donation will fund undergraduate engineering scholarships, graduate fellowships, creating a biomedical engineering chair position and a deanship, recruitment and retention of eight distinguished faculty members, and faculty fellowships, according to the announcement.

Gov. Maura Healey said, “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.”

“The gift comes at a time when the College of Engineering is actively focusing on expanding access to high-impact experiences for its students and ensuring that teaching and research at the school embraces the multitude of disciplines and perspectives that intersect with engineering,” the announcement states.

The College of Engineering is also offering increased financial support for new programming and faculty-led research initiatives.

Riccio’s donation will be used in conjunction with $25 million in university resources, including the UMass endowment matching program, according to the announcement.