HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — Marshall University President Brad Smith and First Lady Alys Smith announced a historic gift Tuesday morning.

The Smith’s will be contributing a historic $50 million to the Marshall For All program. The $50 million gift is the largest Marshall University has ever seen, and the largest personal contribution made by a sitting university president to their own institution.

The Marshall For All program, which launched in 2023 under the guidance of Smith, aims to get more students through college without accumulating much debt. The program combines scholarships, grants, work opportunities and family contributions.

In a shared statement, the Smiths explained their reasoning for such a large gift.

“We are honored to support Marshall University and the Marshall For All prog

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