Central Methodist University receives $3.6 million donation

Central Methodist University is celebrating after receiving the largest donation in its 160 year history.

Saturday, CMU President Roger Drake announced Fayette natives Jay and Kelly Jacobs gave the university $3.6 million.

Jay Jacobs is an alum of CMU and the current president of Pimco, an investment management company based in California.

Drake said the large donation will go toward the university’s Campaign for the Heart of Central.

Roger Drake, Central Methodist University President: “the Campaign for the Heart of Central, the two key elements are the new Thogmorton Center for Allied Health which will house nursing, athletic training, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapy assistant, the kind of programs that are in demand and are changing students lives now.”

The new building is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by August 2015.

And phase two of the campaign will be a renovation of the Stedman Hall of Science.

Jacobs named the donation in honor of Jim and Helen Thogmorton. Jim Thogmorton was the dean of CMU for nearly 40 years.