Carlson School to Receive $2 Million from John and Nancy Lindahl

University of Minnesota alumni and significant Gopher Athletics boosters John and Nancy Lindahl have pledged $17 million to the University, including $2 million to the Carlson School. The rest of the gift will help fund the new Athletics Village, including support for facilities and programming in basketball and football ($12 million), the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) ($2 million), and pediatric cardiology research ($1 million).

John, a graduate of the Carlson School ('68), and Nancy, a graduate of CEHD ('68), have provided the $2 million gift to each of their schools to advance strategic priorities of the academic leadership.

“From speaking with our students, to supporting our world-class faculty and research, to investing in the infrastructure that allows us to deliver unrivaled experiential learning opportunities, John and Nancy Lindahl have had a tremendous impact on the Carlson School and on the lives of so many of our students,” says Sri Zaheer, dean of the Carlson School. “We are honored that they have once again chosen to give to their alma mater and excited by the alumni engagement opportunities their gift will create.”

As both active volunteers and donors for the University, the Lindahls have previously impacted significant projects on campus, including the renovation of Northrop, return of football to campus, faculty endowments, and funding medical research.

"There is nowhere that we would rather give our time and treasure than to the University of Minnesota,” say the Lindahls. “The exceptional leadership of President Eric Kaler, academic deans and Athletic Director Norwood Teague makes us so proud of this noble institution and excited about its future."

The Lindahls serve on the Department of Athletics Leadership Council, currently working to raise $190 million to fund a new home for Gopher sports. The couple’s $12 million gift to the athletics facilities campaign is included as part of the previously announced total of committed funds.

Nancy has served as National Volunteer President of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association and is a life trustee of the University of Minnesota Foundation. John is a current Foundation trustee and a former trustee for the University’s Medical Foundation where he and Nancy became very involved in raising dollars for children and cardiology.

“The University is the economic and cultural centerpiece of our state,” say the Lindahls. “We have been blessed with opportunities to reconnect to the University and engage with great leaders over the last few decades. We are proud of our degrees and thrilled to see the direction this University is going.”