UWEC alumnus John Menard. (Submitted photo)

UW-Eau Claire Class of ’63 alumnus and Wisconsin billionaire John Menard recently donated $3 million to the UW-Eau Claire Center for Constitutional Studies, which is dedicated to expanding research regarding the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment rights.

Now renamed the Menard Center for Constitutional Studies, the organization hopes to educate students about issues surrounding the U.S. Constitution. “Our family has deep roots at UW-Eau Claire, and we are excited to support the important work and research happening on campus related to the U.S. Constitution,” said the Menard family in a press release. “Our hope is to empower as many people as possible to have the opportunity our family did to use their innate abilities to learn, contribute and succeed.”

A portion of the funds will be used to hire two additional faculty members, create new courses, and increase collaborative research centering around constitutional rights.

“We are very grateful to the Menard family for supporting us as we work to be a leader in promoting research, education and community outreach in these important matters,” Chancellor James Schmidt said.

Learn more about the donation and the Menard Center on the UWEC website.