MU's Brad Smith and wife, Alys, donate $50M to university to eliminate student debt

The Smith’s gift is the largest bestowed to the university, and is the largest personal contribution made by a sitting university president to their own institution.

“We are honored to support Marshall University and the Marshall For All program with this gift,â€� the Smiths said in a news release °Õ³Ü±ð²õ»å²¹²â.Ìý

“Our ‘why’ is simple: to level the playing field in West Virginia and Appalachia. We hope this gift ensures that every student with the dream of an advanced degree has the opportunity and support to achieve it — while also showing what’s possible for the future of higher education in our region and beyond,� the pair said. 

The Marshall For All program, launched in 2023, allows students to combine scholarships, grants, work opportunities and family contributions to earn their bachelor’s degree without the need for student loans. The goal is for students to graduate with little to no debt.

The average federal student loan debt is $39,075 per borrower, according to the Office of Federal Student Aid. 

There are nearly 400 Marshall For All: Debt-Free students. Of those in the program, 69% are the first in their families to attend college, just as Brad Smith and his brothers were.

“It is with tremendous gratitude that we share Brad and Alys’ transformative gift in support of Marshall For All,� said Nico Karagosian, president and CEO of the Marshall University Foundation. “The Smiths are visionary partners who believe deeply in the power of accessible and affordable education for students across West Virginia and Appalachia.�

Karagosian continued, “Their generosity propels us closer to our goal of eradicating student debt by 2037, Marshall’s 200th anniversary, while setting a new standard in higher education.�

The Smiths’ lifetime giving to Marshall now surpasses $90 million.

Brad Smith grew up in Kenova and earned a bachelor’s degree from Marshall. He also earned a master’s degree in management from Aquinas College. He has served as president of Marshall since 2021.

Before returning to West Virginia to lead his alma mater, he served as CEO of Intuit, the Silicon Valley-based software company, from 2008-2019. 

Alys Smith is an Ohio native and attorney. She previously worked for the Ohio Attorney General and several private firms. She currently works as a guardian ad litem representing foster kids in abuse and neglect cases.