A group of donors—the "Wisconsin Naming Partnership"—wrote hefty checks to keep the school's name as is. Unnamed B-schools are likely to take noticeUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison business alums are taking their famous Badger pride to new heights, issuing an unusual—and lucrative—mandate to the school: "Keep That Name."
In an unusual twist in the business school naming game—generally, a wealthy donor gives a multimillion-dollar gift to get his name on the school—the school formally known as Wisconsin School of Business has received an $85 million group donation from alumni that will allow the school to keep its current name for the next 20 years.
The school announced the gift on Oct. 27 during homecoming weekend, surprising the B-school world as it bucked the trend of adding a new moniker in exchange for a big-time donation. A group of 13 alumni, known collectively as the "Wisconsin Naming Partnership," donated at least $5 million each to the school as part of the deal.
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