In a historic move, Marshall University President Brad Smith and his wife Alys Smith have donated $50 million to support students through the university’s Marshall For All program.
The gift is not only the largest in the university’s history but also the biggest donation ever made by a sitting university president to their own institution.
What is the Marshall For All Program?
Marshall For All is a bold initiative designed to eliminate student debt for undergraduates. The program helps students earn their bachelor’s degrees by combining:
- Scholarships
- Grants
- Family contributions
- On-campus work opportunities
The idea is simple — help students finish college without taking student loans.
How the $50 Million Gift Will Be Used
The donation will help expand the Marshall For All program, with a long-term vision: to ensure all students can graduate debt-free by 2037, the year of Marshall’s bicentennial celebration.
Nico Karagosian, President and CEO of the Marshall University Foundation, called the donation “transformative” and praised it as a powerful investment in student success.
Who Benefits From the Program Right Now?
Currently, Marshall For All supports students through two main pathways:
- Tuition-Free Track for Low-Income West Virginia Students
- Covers full tuition and fees
- For families with an income under $65,000
- Debt-Free Degree with Work Experience
- Open to randomly selected students
- Includes students from West Virginia and eligible out-of-state counties near the Huntington campus
- Offers real-world job experience during college
Why Brad and Alys Smith Gave Back
Brad Smith, who became president in January 2022, is a former CEO of the software company Intuit. The announcement of the Marshall For All program came later that year during his official investiture — a date he chose to honour his late father’s birthday.
In a heartfelt statement, the couple said:
“Our ‘why’ is simple: to level the playing field in West Virginia and Appalachia.”
Brad Smith credited his parents for their sacrifices to make college possible for him and his brothers. He said this donation is their way of “paying it forward” so more students can access higher education without the burden of debt.
A Vision for the Future of Education
Marshall University, located in Huntington, West Virginia, currently has around 10,000 undergraduate and 3,000 graduate students. With this new support, the university hopes to grow the Marshall For All program and become a model for other public universities looking to make education more accessible.
If the program’s success continues, it could reshape how colleges support students, especially those from low-income and underrepresented communities in Appalachia and beyond.
This $50 million donation is more than just a generous act — it’s a powerful step toward creating equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their financial background.
As college costs continue to rise across the U.S., initiatives like Marshall For All show what’s possible when leadership combines vision, compassion, and real action. It’s a reminder that education can truly change lives — especially when debt is no longer part of the equation.
