$50M grant awarded to University of Houston by anonymous donor

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- On the heels of its $1 billion fundraising campaign, the University of Houston announced the single largest gift in its history.

The $50 million donation was donated anonymously. The donor is said to be a CEO and a veteran with a history of giving back.
[Ads /]
SEE MORE: $10M grant awarded to UH's Texas Center for Learning Disabilities by anonymous donor

The gift challenges the university to raise $50 million to match it. It will be used for endowed professorships.

Chancellor Renu Khator called the gift transformational, and said it will allow the university to become globally competitive by attracting outstanding faculty.

SEE MORE: Anonymous gift pays tuition for entire UH College of Medicine first class
[Ads /]
The billion-dollar fundraising campaign will be concentrated in energy, medicine and global engagement programs.

UH Regent Tillman Fertitta said he met the mystery donor.



"He's smart to remain anonymous," Fertitta said. "He can walk out of the door without strangers saying they have a project for him to consider."

Follow Deborah Wrigley on Facebook and Twitter.