Alumnus Leaves Entire $100M Estate to Georgia Tech

A historic $100 million bequest from the late Georgia Tech alumnus John W. Durstine will forever transform the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. The landmark gift — the largest single gift in Tech’s history — will establish endowed chairs, professorships, and faculty awards, ensuring that the Institute continues to recruit, develop, and retain world-class faculty for generations to come.   

After graduating with a mechanical engineering degree from Georgia Tech in 1957, the Birmingham, Alabama, native earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and spent more than three decades shaping truck and light vehicle design, powertrain strategy, and advanced systems engineering at the Ford Motor Company. But it was his decision to enroll at Georgia Tech that he credited with shaping the trajectory of his life. Durstine, who died in February, was known for his sharp intellect, quiet generosity, and unwavering loyalty to Georgia Tech. 

He began his philanthropic efforts in 1978 with a $100 donation to Tech’s annual fund, Roll Call, and he continued to give to his alma mater over the next four decades. A 2014 inductee into the Engineering Hall of Fame, Durstine maintained a lifelong bond with the Institute and the Woodruff School. As his estate grew, he confidentially planned to name the Woodruff School as its sole beneficiary with the intent of providing students with the same transformative education he had received.  

The John W. Durstine Endowment will provide support in three main areas:  

• Faculty Excellence — Establish endowed chairs, professorships, and early-career professorships across the Woodruff School.  
• Innovation Infrastructure and Strategic Differentiators — Seed bold interdisciplinary research and provide premier facilities and tools that allow world-class minds to teach, discover, and innovate at the highest level.  
• Student Experience and Programming — Expand facilities and hands-on programs such as the Capstone Design, the Flowers Invention Studio, and the Student Competition Center by supporting faculty mentors and students.  

“John Durstine’s historic generosity is deeply inspiring to all of us working to carry out the Institute’s mission,” said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. “John could have left his estate to many good causes, and he chose to invest in Georgia Tech’s faculty because he knew firsthand the transformative impact that our outstanding faculty have in the lives and careers of our students. This gift will have an enduring impact and will ensure that Georgia Tech faculty have the resources to push the boundaries of mechanical engineering, inspire our students, and help improve the human condition. His legacy will live on in every discovery, every innovation, and every student who learns from the faculty his gift supports.”  

The Woodruff School offers one of the nation’s largest and most influential mechanical and nuclear engineering programs, with more than 110 faculty and 3,000 students. Faculty lead groundbreaking work in advanced manufacturing, bioengineering, robotics, nuclear technology, and artificial intelligence in engineering design.   

“This gift provides once-in-a-lifetime resources for the Woodruff School,” said Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engineering and Southern Company Chair. “By investing in the people who teach, inspire, and mentor our students, John Durstine has strengthened the core of the Woodruff School and put it in a class of its own. His legacy is a testament to the extraordinary loyalty and vision of our alumni.”  

The Georgia Tech Foundation will manage the endowment in accordance with Durstine’s wishes, ensuring support in perpetuity. The gift is also part of Transforming Tomorrow: The Campaign for Georgia Tech, a $2 billion effort running through 2027 to provide vital resources for students, faculty, programs, and facilities across campus.  

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