Syracuse University alum and wife donate $30 million for school’s IVMF

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Daniel D’Aniello, a Syracuse University (SU) graduate and life trustee, and wife, Gayle, have donated $30 million to SU’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF).

The donation is meant to “secure the future and long-term success of the IVMF,” Syracuse said.

The names Daniel and Gayle D’Aniello are on the building that houses the SU’s National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC), which includes the IVMF. Daniel D’Aniello — a U.S. Navy veteran — is a 1968 graduate of Syracuse University.

The donation, which builds on the D’Aniello family’s $20 million gift in 2018 to help construct the NVRC, will support the creation of an endowment to provide annual operational support for the IVMF, “ensuring it remains the nation’s leading academic institute focused on the concerns of America’s more than 20 million veterans and their families,” Syracuse University contended in a news release.

Syracuse on Wednesday dedicated and formally opened the NVRC and marked the IVMF’s 10-year anniversary.

With the D’Aniellos’ donation, Forever Orange: The Campaign for Syracuse University — a $1.5 billion fundraising campaign — has topped $1.048 billion in funds raised, the school said.

“Dan’s love for Syracuse University goes beyond alumni loyalty or the responsibility as a trustee,” Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud said. “The D’Aniellos are invested in our vision for serving veterans and military-connected families. It is impossible to measure the ripple effect that his leadership and support have had on our community. Thanks to the D’Aniellos, Syracuse University’s commitment to veterans will continue to grow, to aspire to new and better programs, and to make a tangible difference to those who have served our nation.”

Founded in 2011, the IVMF has grown to become “one of the most influential centers” of thought leadership, research and programming focused on the nation’s veterans and military families, Syracuse contends. The IVMF “designs and delivers” programs — at no cost to veterans, military-connected individuals and families — focused on vocational skills training, career preparation and business ownership, while also conducting actionable research, policy analysis and advocacy.

With the support of public- and private-sector partners, the IVMF also works in communities across the U.S., supporting efforts to help veterans and their families navigate the transition from military to civilian life, Syracuse said.