Daniel Riccio, a retired Apple executive who worked at the company for nearly 30 years, made a $50 million donation to the University of Massachusetts Amherst. UMass called it a "historic" donation that is the largest ever made to the school.

UMass said the money will benefit the campus engineering program.

As a result of the donation, which was announced Monday, the university Board of Trustees voted to rename its College of Engineering in Riccio's honor.  

Historic UMass donation

The university said the money will support scholarships, fellowships and professorships, in addition to funding new research at the Daniel J. Riccio, Jr. College of Engineering.

"We are deeply grateful to Dan for his transformational gift and commitment to the future of engineering at UMass Amherst," UMass Amherst Chancellor Javier Reyes siad. "His forward-thinking philanthropy and belief in our research and the impact of a UMass education will elevate the entire campus and empower UMass engineering students to shape their environment and the world for generations."

Who is Dan Riccio?

Riccio is a Revere native who graduated from UMass in 1986 with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. He received a master's degree in manufacturing engineering in 2024.

In 26 years at Apple, Riccio helped design, develop and engineer almost all Apple products. He led teams that helped advance technology that included in iPods, iPhones, and iPads.

"As a proud alum, I've seen UMass Amherst, including its College of Engineering, become a world-class institution over the past 20 years. While UMass has come a long way, I believe it has untapped potential and with the right level of investment and support, its best days are yet to come," Riccio said in a statement. "I'm excited to make this gift and partner with UMass to take the College of Engineering to the next level and build on its mission of revolutionizing engineering and making the world a better place." 

UMass said Riccio and his wife Diane have made large donations to the school in the past, including a $15 million contribution in 2022 aimed at funding ALS and neuroscience research at UMass Chan Medical School.