Ken Griffin pledges $3 billion for new Carnegie Mellon campus in Miami

Ken Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, has pledged $3 billion to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) to establish a new campus in the Wynwood neighborhood of Miami. This donation represents the largest single gift in the history of American higher education.

Of the total contribution, $2 billion is designated for the new Miami campus, while $1 billion will support the existing Pittsburgh campus. This includes $500 million to the School of Computer Science, which will be renamed the Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science. To facilitate the project, Griffin purchased the 30-acre Mana Wynwood complex from developer Moishe Mana for $1.1 billion in a cash transaction following three years of negotiations.

The Miami campus is expected to span over 35 acres, with construction slated to begin in 2027 and student enrollment starting in 2028. Once operational, the site will host over 3,500 students and nearly 300 faculty members. The academic curriculum will focus on societal challenges including human health, national security, energy and climate resilience, and advanced manufacturing, with a heavy emphasis on artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.