President Kimo Ah Yun announced today that a $2 million gift from alumnus Nanda Alapati will advance undergraduate and graduate research in biological sciences. Alapati made the gift in honor of his father, Dr. A. Krishna Kumaran, whose nearly 30-year career as a professor in Marquette University’s Biological Sciences Department spanned from 1969 to 1997.
“My father believed that, in addition to teaching, a professor’s role was to push the boundaries of knowledge through research and inspire students to engage in research themselves,” said Alapati, a 1982 graduate of the Opus College of Engineering. “As a teacher, he really enjoyed challenging his students, raising their level of curiosity and making them think.”
The generous gift will support student field experiences and laboratory work; student and faculty travel to industry and professional conferences; laboratory and scientific equipment; and research assistants.
“This gift is a beautiful example of a passionate alumnus honoring his father’s life and legacy,” President Ah Yun said. “Nanda’s generosity will propel us forward, creating a vibrant, growing and sustainable research environment — an imperative in our strategic plan.”
“This gift is huge in its impact and provides greater certainty at an important moment for our researchers,” said Dr. Martin St. Maurice, chair of the Biological Sciences Department.
While St. Maurice said the department will carefully evaluate how to maximize the gift’s impact, he sees significant opportunities to support graduate and undergraduate student researchers and provide seed funding for promising collaborative research projects. Seed funding helps scientists generate preliminary data that can strengthen applications for larger federal research grants.
“The potential impact and return on projects that build on seed funding is massive. The investments required for research are continuous and sustained, and this gift will help build a foundation for future discovery.”
A central theme in Marquette’s Biological Sciences Department is understanding how biological systems respond and adapt to a changing world. The research supported by this gift can offer important insights into the resilience of ecosystems, the adaptation of disease-causing organisms and the impact of external stressors on human health.
“This generous gift will create transformational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to work alongside our accomplished faculty and immerse themselves in the process of discovery,” said Heather Hathaway, acting dean of the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. “Dr. Kumaran believed deeply in advancing research and inspiring students. We are honored that his legacy will continue through the research he championed and students he cared so deeply about.”
The university has continued its strong fundraising momentum since the close of the historic Time to Rise campaign in June 2024. Fiscal year 2025 marked the largest fundraising total in Marquette’s history with $159.3 million in new gifts and confirmed pledges, while fiscal year 2026 marked the fifth consecutive year Marquette surpassed $100 million in contributions from alumni, parents and friends. Fiscal year 2026 also marked the highest number of donors in university history.
“The engine of our culture of philanthropy is driven by alumni like Nanda who activate their belief in our mission to make a lasting difference for future generations,” said Vice President for University Advancement Tim McMahon. “We are grateful for Nanda’s generosity and for the meaningful way he is honoring his father’s legacy while creating new opportunities for our talented students and outstanding faculty.”
