Muhlenberg Receives $15M+ Gift from the Robertson Family
The gift, from the estate of Edward ’42 and Lois Robertson, is the largest from an individual or family in the College’s history.By: Meghan Kita Saturday, July 1, 2023 02:12 PM
At the College’s 175th anniversary celebration gala, President Kathleen Harring announced another milestone: Thanks to the generosity of Edward ’42 and Lois Robertson, the College is receiving its largest ever gift from an individual or family, more than $15 million.
Harring spoke fondly of the Robertsons’ dedication to the causes they cared about, including the success of Muhlenberg and its students. “There is no way to adequately measure their devotion to the people and causes they loved,” she said, adding later, “They were family — warm, generous people who cared about making Muhlenberg and the world a better place.”
Edward, a member of the Class of 1942, was an economics major and business administration minor at Muhlenberg. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a lieutenant during World War II. He went on to earn an MBA from Columbia University and to join the accounting firm Price Waterhouse in 1947. He became a partner in 1959 and retired in 1981. After retiring, he taught accounting at the University of Central Florida until 1997. He died in 2007.
Lois graduated from Montclair State University's Teacher Education Program and went on to teach at Hawthorne High School in New Jersey. She was full of energy and always smiling, even as she aged into her late 90s. Lois died on February 15, 2023, 43 days shy of her 100th birthday.
Edward and Lois married in 1947. They were passionate about supporting music, education and young people. Together, they established the Lois and Edward Robertson Foundation, which provided annual scholarships to seniors at the high school near their home in Florida who were pursuing higher education in the performing arts.
They were also generous in their support for Muhlenberg. Edward served as a trustee of the College from 1971 through 1981 and was elected a life trustee in 1982. In 2001, the Robertsons made a $5 million commitment to the College to support the construction of Robertson Hall, which opened in 2002. The couple contributed an additional $1.5 million to the College over the years for a variety of purposes. This latest gift is a reflection of the special place Muhlenberg had in Edward’s heart and Lois’s commitment to seeing that his provisions for Muhlenberg students would be fulfilled.
“Ed and Lois lived each day to the fullest — they were vibrant, passionate and dedicated — and that is also how they engaged with Muhlenberg,” says Vice President for Advancement Rebekkah Brown ’99. “Their giving over the decades, and now with this exceptional estate gift, always supported the College's most needed priorities, and their Muhlenberg legacy will be felt for generations to come.”
