Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) has announced a historic $6 million philanthropic commitment from an anonymous donor to support and advance the university’s College of Psychology and Counseling. The gift is the largest single commitment in the university’s history.
In recognition of this generosity, Fairleigh Dickinson University will formally name the Marion Turpan College of Psychology and Counseling, honoring the legacy of the late FDU alumna Marion Turpan and her commitment to education.
Turpan began her journey at FDU in the 1960s, earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, followed by her master’s degree — graduating with honors for both. She eventually taught at FDU, believing in the power of education to open doors. After her time teaching at FDU, she transitioned into a successful career in real estate, along with earning her doctorate in psychology.
The historic gift also includes the establishment of the Marion Turpan Innovation and Humanics Hub, an interdisciplinary space located on the first floor of Dickinson Hall on the Metropolitan Campus in Teaneck and Hackensack. The hub will support innovative programs focused on psychology, counseling, nursing and related health and health-adjacent disciplines. Designed as a central gathering and training space, the hub will foster collaboration and prepare students to navigate the intersection of technology, health and human connection.
“This remarkable commitment reflects a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives and communities,” said Michael J. Avaltroni, president of Fairleigh Dickinson University. “On behalf of the entire university, I extend my profound gratitude to our generous donor for this visionary and selfless investment. By honoring Marion Turpan’s legacy, this gift will expand opportunities for our students, strengthen our academic programs and help ensure that future generations of practitioners and scholars are prepared to lead with both innovation and humanity.”
The Marion Turpan Innovation and Humanics Hub is expected to open in early 2027 and will serve as a cornerstone of FDU’s efforts to integrate technological advancement with essential human skills such as empathy, creativity and critical thinking.
Students in the College of Psychology and Counseling prepare for careers as clinicians, researchers, educators, and leaders in a rapidly evolving world. The college, part of the division of FDU Health, offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in areas including clinical psychology, school psychology, clinical mental health counseling, clinical forensic psychology, general theoretical psychology, industrial organizational psychology and clinical psychopharmacology. The college also houses a low-cost community mental health clinic.
The donor’s contribution will expand professional development opportunities and academic offerings, provide student scholarships and fellowships, increase faculty resources, augment mental health services and training, including enhancing innovative programs in character and leadership, empathy, and mental health stigma, and support college capital improvements.
The commitment by Turpan builds on the donor’s earlier philanthropic pledge; a $1 million gift that established the Dennis Turpan Research and Development Lab for Cutting‑edge Technologies and Disciplines in Becton Hall on the Metropolitan Campus honoring Marion’s son and fellow FDU alumnus Dennis Turpan. The gift also supported dedicated space, graduate student research and scholarships in FDU’s College of Psychology and Counseling in honor of Marion Turpan.
In 1979, Marion Turpan donated the cherry trees in front of the Kron Administration Building at FDU in memory of her mother, Lucille Najar, after her passing. With that act, a tradition of giving back to FDU was born — one that continues from generation to generation.
