$5M Gift to Fund Scholarships for ASU's New Medical School

TEMPE, Ariz., April 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A $5 million gift from longtime Arizona State University supporter Annette Beus and her family will help fund scholarships for students in ASU's new School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering, set to welcome its first class in fall 2026, pending accreditation.

The donation will support 72 students and be used to raise an additional $15 million, with the goal of reaching $20 million by July 2026. That total would fund scholarships for the first two student cohorts at the school, which is part of ASU Health.

The new medical school aims to train physician-engineers—doctors who combine medicine, engineering, and technology, including artificial intelligence and data science.

"As we launch a new kind of medical school, we are extremely grateful to Annette Beus for a gift that will directly support students and inspire others to invest in this vision," said ASU President Michael Crow.

Annette Beus and her late husband, Leo, have long supported ASU. Their philanthropy has significantly shaped the university. In 2014, their gift helped create the Beus Center for Law and Society, home to the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. In 2019, they donated $10 million to establish the Beus Compact X-ray Free Electron Laser Lab in the Biodesign Institute, which houses the world's first CXFEL. They also founded the Beus Center for Cosmic Foundations in 2022 to study the early universe.

"We as a family have always supported education for young people," Annette Beus said. "Of all the donations we've made, scholarships have my heart."

Beus believes the School of Medicine and Advanced Medical Engineering can drive innovation and improve health outcomes locally and globally.

Founding dean Sarah Hollingsworth Lisanby called the scholarships transformative: "This gift removes the barrier of tuition and empowers the best and brightest to become physician-engineers who will transform health care through technology."

This gift is part of ASU's Changing Futures campaign, which focuses on expanding access to education, advancing health, promoting sustainability, and supporting innovation through philanthropic partnerships.

SOURCE Arizona State University