A Message from Chancellor Reyes: A Transformative Moment for UMass Amherst

On Sept. 15, 2025, Chancellor Javier Reyes sent the following message to the university announcing a transformational gift to the university from alumnus Daniel J. Riccio Jr. '86, '24MS.

Riccio, a former key leader and innovator at Apple for 26 years, has committed $50 million- the largest gift in campus history- to support immediate and long-term initiatives to fuel innovative research, strengthen academic excellence, and expand access and opportunity for generations of UMass Amherst engineering students.

To the UMass community -

I am proud to share extraordinary news for UMass Amherst that is historic and transformative for our campus and the College of Engineering. Dan Riccio '86, '24MS has committed $50 million to the future of the College of Engineering. Dan's gift, the largest in our university's 162-year history, will support immediate and long-term initiatives to fuel innovative research, strengthen academic excellence, and expand access and opportunity for generations of UMass Amherst engineering students. Now, in the heart of our campus, our engineers attend the Daniel J. Riccio Jr. College of Engineering.

By funding scholarships, graduate fellowships, faculty positions and innovation funds, the Riccio gift creates sustainable resources that will benefit students, faculty and research.

It provides flexible support for exploring the intersection of technology and health by partnering with UMass Chan Medical School; developing a design curriculum in conjunction with the College of Humanities and Fine Arts; and creating a leadership collaboratory between engineering and the Isenberg School of Management.

Dan's transformative gift will be further amplified through $25 million in institutional resources, including matching funds made available from a UMass endowment matching program. The university's commitment will be directed to the Riccio endowments, strategic faculty recruitment and enrollment of talented graduate students in the Riccio College of Engineering.

Innovation is at the heart of everything we do at UMass: how we teach, how we learn, and how we work. We serve the common good by a commitment to never rest; by breaking ground and breaking boundaries, we build the future we need and prepare our students to lead it.

Dan's vision helped shape the success of Apple through his nearly 26 years of leadership at the company; after joining Apple in 1998, he built Apple's Product Design team, developing groundbreaking products including the iMac, iPhone and iPad. Dan's story is a testament to the transformative power of public education. His gift is a testament to the potential he sees in our students and faculty. He has spent his career envisioning the future. With this gift, he will help bring that future to life. I am immensely grateful for his vision, his generosity, and the time he will dedicate to sharing his knowledge. I hope you will join me in celebrating this historic moment.

I encourage you to learn more about this historic gift and its significance for our campus, the Commonwealth, and the world: https://www.umass.edu/gateway/riccio-gift-media-assets.

Sincerely,

Javier Reyes
Chancellor