Wilson Gift Announcement

Thank you.

We are so pleased to have the opportunity today to recognize the great and continuing generosity of the Wilson family and the Wilson Foundation.

In recent years, the generosity of the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation has allowed UB to make tremendous advances in the areas of orthopedics and sports medicine. Their gift has supported groundbreaking research achievements, it has enabled UB to make key equipment upgrades, and it has launched instructional initiatives that have greatly benefited our UB medical students, residents and fellows.

These advancements have brought even greater national recognition to UB’s sports medicine programs as they continue to grow in stature and impact. This, in turn, has helped us attract highly accomplished physicians to our region to teach and practice in Western New York.

Over the years, the Wilson Foundation has proven to be one of our strongest partners in improving health care, enhancing medical education, and advancing life sciences research. These endeavors have tremendous benefit for our entire community. They are helping establish UB and Western New York as a world-class hub for the very best in patient care, medical education, and clinical research.

Today, we are pleased to announce that the foundation has chosen to build on that legacy with a second generous gift continuing the important work of our sports medicine doctors.

The Wilson Foundation will give $4 million to establish the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Center of Excellence in Sports Medicine at the University at Buffalo.

We are grateful to the foundation for its support, which will create an endowment that ensures the work of this department will continue in perpetuity. This legacy grant will allow our sports medicine physicians to continue providing an unmatched academic experience to their students, residents and fellows. Tomorrow’s health care professionals—our doctors, nurses, physical therapists and pharmacists—are here today, at UB, learning from the very best in their fields.

The trustees of the Wilson Foundation know this. And with their generosity, we will continue to provide a world-class medical education to those who will care for generations of patients here in Western New York and far beyond.

On behalf of our entire UB community, we thank you.