The Campaign for UB
University at Buffalo mourns the loss of our alumnus, friend and benefactor, John R. 'Jack' Davis
Jack Davis, in front of the eventual site of Barbara and Jack Davis Hall.
By Peter Murphy
Published February 8, 2023
A 1955 graduate of the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jack believed deeply in the transformative power of an education.
After graduating from UB and serving in the Marine Corps Reserves and the Coast Guard, he founded the company I Squared R, growing it into one of the region’s most prominent and successful manufacturing businesses.
He revered the value of engineering education and wanted the School and the University to be an epicenter highly skilled engineering research and teaching, leading the way in developing a highly skilled workforce for Western New York and the world.
“Do it right, and do it right now,” was Jack’s business motto, but it was also a mindset he brought to his philanthropy to his alma mater, to which he was devoted. The largest individual donor to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jack’s philanthropy has been instrumental in affording cohorts of students the opportunity to study at UB. He and his beloved wife, Barbara, also provided the cornerstone gift that enabled the construction of one of the University’s signature spaces, Barbara and Jack Davis Hall, in 2012.
“I hear students talking all the time about how much they love being in this building,” said Kemper Lewis, Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “His vision and his commitment have helped elevate us to the #2 public engineering school in the Northeast. An achievement like that doesn’t happen without the support and devotion of someone like Jack Davis.”
During his lifetime, and now through his estate, Jack Davis has helped to ensure that students dreaming of becoming engineers will find a home at UB. Through his careful planning and generosity, future profits of I Squared R will support a scholarship fund for Western New York students pursuing an engineering education.
“When I was awarded this scholarship, I started crying,” said Alex Yuen, aerospace engineering student and scholarship recipient. “UB has become my favorite college campus to be on. I especially love Davis Hall, as it makes me feel smarter in a way. This scholarship is life-changing to me, and I am extremely grateful to have been awarded.”
Our condolences are with Barbara, and the entire Davis family, and we offer our profound thanks to Jack Davis and the incredible legacy he has left for UB.
