ITHACA, N.Y. — Cornell University will use donations from 1962 graduate David Duffield — a co-founder of both PeopleSoft and Workday — to establish the Cornell David A. Duffield College of Engineering.
More than $520 million in contributions from Duffield — including a new pledge of $371.5 million and a 2025 commitment of $100 million, combined with previous gifts — will place his name on the school’s College of Engineering. His newest pledge is the largest single donation in Cornell history, the university said in its announcement.
Duffield’s cumulative giving across Cornell’s colleges now totals $550 million, placing him among the university’s leading all-time donors, the Ivy League school stated. His latest gift serves as a capstone to Cornell’s capital campaign, “To Do the Greatest Good,” helping to close its final year “with a flourish.”
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“I welcome the opportunity to help advance technological research, innovation and leadership at Cornell,” Duffield said in the Cornell announcement. “I’ve worked closely with many Cornellians over the years, and they consistently demonstrate exceptional leadership, creativity and problem-solving abilities. It’s a privilege to give back to my alma mater in ways that strengthen the university’s commitment to excellence.”
Duffield graduated from Cornell in 1962 and earned his MBA from the school two years later.
In a career spanning more than 60 years, Duffield has founded six enterprise-software companies. They include his most recent venture, Ridgeline, which provides a modern technology platform for the investment-management industry. He is one of only two company founder CEOs in U.S. history to lead two businesses — PeopleSoft and Workday — to an initial public offering at a valuation of $1 billion or higher.
“Many Cornell graduates have gone on to make incredible contributions to society through their innovations,” Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff said. “Among this esteemed group, Dave Duffield stands out for his transformational accomplishments and his determination to do the greatest good. We are tremendously grateful for Dave’s generous previous support of the College of Engineering and the Veterinary College. And Dave’s new gift and naming of the College of Engineering will impact Cornellians for generations and is an extraordinary tribute to the college and to Cornell.”
Duffield’s latest donation will consist primarily of endowment funds, establishing a $250 million Duffield Legacy Fund that will provide the college with ongoing support to pursue strategic opportunities, as well as an additional $50 million to be dedicated to key priorities related to educational excellence, Cornell said.
The remainder of the gift will create the Duffield Launch Fund to address immediate priorities through targeted investments. Those investments will update the college’s physical infrastructure; strengthen its research facilities; support its faculty and students; and advance research excellence in domains such as quantum-engineering science and technology, engineering human health, and artificial intelligence and data-driven decision-making, Cornell noted.
