$47M gift propels School of Packaging into a new era
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EmailA historic $47M gift from Chuck and Jackie Frasier — the largest in the history of the top-ranked School of Packaging — is poised to redefine the global landscape of packaging education and research for generations to come.
Michigan State University will receive a $47 million transformational commitment from alumnus Charles (Chuck) and Jacqueline (Jackie) Frasier. This historic gift — the largest in the history of the top-ranked School of Packaging — is poised to redefine the global landscape of packaging education and research for generations to come.
The Frasiers’ multi-phased vision for impact provides a strategic roadmap for the school’s growth through several key designations:
- Capital transformation: A cornerstone allocation will start the next phase of the state-of-the-art expansion to the Packaging Building, creating modern labs and collaborative spaces.
- Strategic leadership: The establishment of an endowed director’s fund ensures MSU continues to attract world-class administrative and academic talent.
- Graduate excellence: A new fellowship endowment will provide critical support for the next generation of doctoral and master’s researchers.
- Institutional agility: A mix of endowed and expendable funds will address the school’s most pressing immediate needs and emerging initiatives.
“Chuck and Jackie’s love for Michigan State, and for their academic ‘home’ in the School of Packaging, is clear in every conversation, every visit to campus and, of course, in every gift they’ve made,” said MSU President Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Ph.D. “It is difficult to envision the future of the packaging industry without the MSU School of Packaging. I am so excited to watch the immediate impact of this gift take shape in the expansion of the Packaging Building, and I am even more excited to watch the ripple effect on the packaging industry at large, which will be forever changed for the better thanks to their generosity and their vision for the future.”
The Frasiers’ initial interest in giving back to the School of Packaging coincided with a much-needed renovation in 2021 to the building it has called home since 1964. “Let’s get it going!” Chuck Frasier said, and the couple did just that, making both the first and last gift to fund Phase 1 of the project. Their leadership and enthusiasm inspired a cascade of additional support from fellow packaging alums as well as corporate partners.
Following the completion and ribbon-cutting of the School of Packaging’s renovated facility in 2023, MSU began the program’s next chapter with Packaging 2.0.
“This gift positions Michigan State to accelerate its leadership in packaging education and research in ways we have never seen before,” said Matt Daum, MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources dean and associate provost. “It allows us to build a true hub for innovation, especially in sustainability, and to bring together top minds from industry, government and academia. This will be a place where ideas move faster, partnerships grow stronger and the future of packaging takes shape.”
The Packaging 2.0 expansion will significantly enhance the school’s capabilities by nearly doubling the size of the existing building and expanding both teaching and research environments. The project is designed to meet the evolving needs of students, faculty and industry partners in a rapidly advancing field.
Planned enhancements include:
- Flexible, technology-enabled classrooms designed to foster collaboration and interactive learning
- Shared laboratory spaces to support cross-disciplinary research between MSU packaging faculty and scientists around the university
- Expanded laboratory and administrative space to bring additional researchers into the building, strengthening collaboration and innovation across the school
Watch Chuck and Jackie Frasier share why they chose to invest in Packaging 2.0.
This story originally appeared the Spartan Story Hub. You can read the full story found here. Author: Devon Barrett
