December 14, 2017
RIT Alum Austin McChord, 32, Donates $50M to College
Austin McChord did not stand out during his time as an undergraduate at Rochester Institute of Technology. In fact, he left without his degree and only received it after six years, in 2009, thanks to community college credits.
The next eight years were somewhat more productive. The online data protection company he launched while at RIT, Datto, is valued around $1 billion. McChord, just 32 years old, has dipped into that wealth in a major way, as he and the school Wednesday announced a $50 million gift for programs in entrepreneurship and cybersecurity. It is the largest single donation in RIT history.
The next eight years were somewhat more productive. The online data protection company he launched while at RIT, Datto, is valued around $1 billion. McChord, just 32 years old, has dipped into that wealth in a major way, as he and the school Wednesday announced a $50 million gift for programs in entrepreneurship and cybersecurity. It is the largest single donation in RIT history.