Lafayette strategic plan gets major boost with $5M gift

Lafayette College today announced a $5 million gift from real estate entrepreneur J.B. Reilly ’83, P’16,18 and his wife, Kathleen P’16,18, to support its recently approved strategic plan.

“I am truly inspired by Lafayette’s strategic plan,” says Reilly, a Lehigh Valley native whose City Center Group real estate development and management company has helped transform downtown Allentown. “With this gift, we want to lift the plan’s tremendous promise for our students and take to another level the education I so valued as an undergraduate.”

Kathleen P’16,18 and J.B. Reilly ’83, P’16,18

“Becoming Lafayette: A Vision for Our Third Century,” Lafayette’s new strategic plan, focuses on advancing the Colleges’ academic excellence, collaborative efforts from Easton and the Lehigh Valley across the globe, work at the intersection of democracy and its technologies, and more. The Reillys continue to explore how their investment can be most impactful on the plan but wanted now to make their commitment to it and the College clear.

“At the heart of it, this gift is for our students and the many ways in which our faculty and staff support them,” says Reilly, who earned an economics degree from Lafayette and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law.

“I’ve shared many times how Lafayette helped build in me the confidence and critical thinking skills to imagine and execute ideas which have been impactful in my community,” Reilly adds. “Kathleen and I also extend our support and thanks to President Hurd, whose leadership has set this College we love on a course for exciting new possibilities.”

“We’re grateful to J.B. and Kathleen for their generous gift and their thoughtful vision of the College and its future,” says President Nicole Hurd. “They have been friends and mentors to so many of our students over the years, and this latest powerful gift shows yet again the difference they make for Lafayette and our entire community.” 

Reilly, a Lafayette trustee since 2008, has long supported students, helped fund field experiences, and contributed to and created such programs as the Dyer Center’s annual Real Estate Case Competition and The Real Estate Lab, a program that teaches Allentown residents how to invest in real estate and manage properties in their community.