Marian Lands Major Gift

Marian hopes to construct several new facilities upon hitting the $30 million goal.

Marian University is halfway to a $30 million fundraising goal. The university says a major lead gift from Mike Weaver, president of Whitestown-based Weaver Popcorn, will support several major construction projects.

The university says the specific amount of Weaver’s gift remains undisclosed at his request. President Daniel Elsener says they expect to raise the $30 million for the project over the next two to three years. The money will be used to build several new facilities, including a dining hall, recreational facilities for intramural sports and fitness, classrooms, meeting spaces, and a new weight room, among others.

Elsener says the new facilities are needed to accommodate the university’s growth over the past 10 years and future enrollment growth, which is expected to double by 2025. 

"Thanks to Mike and Becky Weaver’s incredible leadership, we are well on the way to raising the $30 million needed to make campus improvements that will attract and retain some of the nation’s next generation of leaders," said Elsener. "Without funding, we simply can’t achieve our mission of developing transformational leaders for service to the world. This is more than a gift to Marian University; it’s an investment in the future leadership of our community."

Elsener said completing the $30 million project is critical to achieving the five power goals of the university’s new strategic plan. Those goals are enrollment, mission and identity, academic quality, leadership, and expansion of resources. The university says the strategic plan will guide Marian through 2025.