Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences Naming Announcement

Good morning! 

I am delighted you all could join us to celebrate a very special day in the history of our great university.

We are here today to recognize the great generosity of a remarkable member of our UB community—Mr. Jeremy Jacobs. I can’t think of a greater champion or a greater friend to UB than Jeremy Jacobs, and the entire Jacobs family.

Jeremy Jacobs has been at the heart of UB life in so many ways, and in so many different capacities—from his unparalleled leadership as Chairman of the UB Council to his service as former chair of the UB Foundation, honorary co-chair of the most recent university-wide campaign, chair of two presidential searches, and as co-chair of the current medical school capital campaign.

He also has brought great honor and visibility to UB and Buffalo as one of our most esteemed civic and business leaders— regionally, nationally, and globally. Chairman of the UB Council, one of our university’s most distinguished alumni, and one of our most steadfast supporters. His leadership is truly remarkable in scope—whether he is leading one of the most successful professional sports franchises in the nation; advising the White House on the travel industry; or shaping the hospitality industry on a global scale.

Over the years, he and the Jacobs family have been incredibly generous with their time and resources in support of communities across our region and nation. Our university, and our Western New York community, have benefited from that generosity in countless ways.

Now, it is my distinct pleasure to announce Chairman Jacobs and his family have chosen to build upon that legacy in a profound way— with a generous $30 million gift in support of the medical school. This tremendous gift is all the more meaningful, as our medical school was the founding school of the university in 1846. This gift will have a great impact on UB and our medical school, now and into the future. It will significantly advance our vision of world-class medical education, biomedical research, and patient care for the benefit of all the communities we serve—here in Buffalo and around the world.

So today, we are deeply proud to honor not only this gift but the Jacobs family’s long legacy of support—and all it makes possible. On behalf of a very grateful UB, my heartfelt thanks to you, Jeremy—and to the entire Jacobs family.

No one is more “True Blue” than Jeremy Jacobs and the Jacobs family. And there is perhaps no greater tribute a university can make than to name a school in one’s honor. In that spirit, today we are proud to celebrate a great and historic milestone for UB: the first school naming in university history.

As UB’s founding school, it is truly fitting that the medical school would have this great distinction. And it is equally fitting that this school should bear the name of an individual and a family who so deeply embody the vision of excellence that guides our university.

In honor of Jeremy Jacobs and the Jacobs family’s tremendous service and generosity to the University at Buffalo over the past 30 years, the university is proud to name the School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in their honor.

Would the members of the Jacobs family and Dean Cain please join me?

Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time, we proudly present to you the new name of the UB medical school:

The “Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences”—The first “named school” in the 169-year history of UB!