UI Alumnus, Lifelong Educator, Philanthropist Thomas C. Wright Donates $24 Million to His Alma Mater
Friday, December 7 2001
Dec. 7, 2001^MOSCOW – Thomas C. Wright has spent his entire professional life in education with a single and constant focus on improving the lives of children. With his roots embedded in the University of Idaho, he has been a classroom teacher and an educational publisher of children’s books and today considers philanthropy his third career. He currently is a trustee of the Wright Foundation in Kirkland, Wash., and has chosen to become a major benefactor to his alma mater.^ Wright has made a $24 million gift commitment to UI to benefit a variety of academic programs and scholarships, primarily in the College of Education. It is the largest single gift by an individual or foundation in the 112-year history of the institution.^ “Tom Wright is a philanthropist in the truest sense of the word and an educator to the core,” said UI President Bob Hoover. “His generosity – even during this economic downturn – reflects his dedication to students and teachers.”^For Wright, the gift means helping teachers and students – and making a difference in their lives. “What could be better?” he said. “Our work will pass on for generations to come.”^ Wright said he is especially interested in supporting students or teachers who want to return to college for degrees involving work with the developmentally disabled and those with special needs. “These are the students with the greatest need in today’s schools,” Wright said.^ The Boise native enrolled in the UI after graduating from Lewiston High School. With a master’s degree in education in hand, Wright left the university with aspirations of becoming a principal or superintendent. He began teaching at East Junior High in Boise and then went on to teach at the high school for three years.^ The opportunity to become a sales representative for a national education publisher soon arose. Wright spent the next 17 years as a publishing executive working for Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., a subsidiary of CBS. As his responsibilities grew, he learned all aspects of the publishing business. He then made another career decision to become an entrepreneur by starting his own company. ^With a clear vision, Wright moved to San Diego and founded what was to become known as The Wright Group, an innovative and international leader in the field of early literacy reading materials. Wright’s company offered professional development workshops that trained more than half a million teachers in reading methods for teaching young children. As a result, over 10 million children learned to read using the Wright Group books.^ In 1994, Wright sold his company to the Chicago Tribune Co., staying on as chairman until February 2000. The Wright Group presently is owned by McGraw Hill.^Wright has now embarked on yet another career – philanthropy. “Now that I have the time and resources, I would like to help people who otherwise may not have the opportunity to realize their full potential,” he said. ^ Three years ago, Wright established The Thomas C. Wright Special Education Scholarship at UI. In addition, the Thomas C. Wright Fellows program – also supported by Wright’s endowment – gives each of eight K-12 teachers a full scholarship to pursue a unique, innovative and individualized course of study leading to a master’s degree or an education specialist degree.^Wright’s most recent gift commitment includes a combination of annual payments, an irrevocable bequest and a number of irrevocable charitable remainder trusts. His combined commitment to the UI totals $24 million.^ Wright’s gift is part of The Campaign for Idaho, a multi-year, fundraising effort aimed at supporting the university’s strategic initiatives. “I am honored to be able to contribute to the University of Idaho where my dream began several years ago,” he says with a smile.^CONTACTS: Joanne Carr, vice president for University Advancement, (208) 885-4959, carr@uidaho.edu; Victoria Boone, director of development, (208) 885-7069, victoria@uidaho.edu; Caroline Nilsson-Troy, director of The Campaign for Idaho, (208) 885-7069, cnilsson@uidaho.edu; or Kathy Barnard, University Communications, (208) 885-6291-30-^KB 12/6/01 EDU/ADV^
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.