Historic $10M Gift to Goucher College Paves Way For State-of-the-Art Science Center

TOWSON - Goucher College has received a landmark donation of $10 million from alumna Judy C. Lewent, a former executive vice president and chief financial officer at Merck & Co., and her husband, Mark Shapiro.

The donation, the largest gift ever given to Goucher by a living alum, will be used to support the $40 million construction of the Science Innovation Center, an expansion of the college's current Hoffberger Science Center.

The Science Innovation Center aims to support the evolving demands of modern science education and research. Once completed, it will be christened the Judy C. Lewent '70 Science Innovation Center, according to the college.

"The Science Innovation Center embodies passion, courage, resilience, and vision. These four principles have been cornerstones of my career," Lewent said.

The 44,000-square-foot center will house advanced laboratories tailored for research and teaching, focusing on molecular biology, biotechnology, and environmental science. It will feature open lab layouts to foster the sharing of scientific ideas and nurture interdisciplinary STEM projects.

Goucher features a robust science faculty, with one-third having secured government funding for research in recent years. The state of Maryland has also endorsed the endeavor by endowing two professorships for scientific research and innovation, committing an additional $4 million to the center.

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