Fairleigh Dickinson University on Tuesday announced the largest single philanthropic commitment in its history: A $6 million gift from an anonymous donor to advance programs in its College of Psychology and Counseling.
University leaders say the investment will reshape the college’s academic, clinical and interdisciplinary offerings on both the Metropolitan Campus (in Teaneck) and the Florham Park campus. And it comes at a moment when the demand for mental health education and services has never been higher.
In recognition of the gift, FDU will name the Marion Turpan College of Psychology and Counseling, honoring the late alumna whose ties to the university span decades.
Turpan earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at FDU in the 1960s, graduating with honors before joining the faculty. She later built a career in real estate and completed a PhD in psychology, but she maintained lasting ties to her alma mater. In 1979, she donated the cherry trees that still line the entrance to the Kron Administration Building (on the Metropolitan Campus)— an early act of generosity that her family has continued to build upon over generations.
The new commitment includes funding for the Marion Turpan Innovation and Humanics Hub, an interdisciplinary space under development on the first floor of Dickinson Hall on the Metropolitan Campus.
Scheduled to open in early 2027, the Hub is designed to bring together students and faculty from psychology, counseling, nursing, and related health disciplines, offering a collaborative environment that explores the intersection of technology, human behavior and care.
FDU President Michael Avaltroni said the space is intended to help students navigate a changing professional landscape.
“The key question for the new hub is how do we prepare students to remain deeply human in a technology‑driven world,” he said.
The gift will support scholarships and fellowships, expand professional development and academic offerings, strengthen faculty resources, enhance mental health services and training and contribute to capital improvements throughout the college.
Programs within the College of Psychology and Counseling (part of FDU Health) span clinical psychology, school psychology, mental health counseling, forensic psychology, industrial‑organizational psychology, psychopharmacology and other areas. The college also operates a low‑cost community mental health clinic that serves as both a training and public‑service site.
Avaltroni called the commitment “a deep belief in the power of education to transform lives and communities,” noting that the donor’s support will directly affect students preparing for careers as clinicians, researchers, educators, and leaders.
This latest contribution builds on an earlier $1 million gift from the same donor establishing the Dennis Turpan Research and Development Lab for Cutting‑edge Technologies and Disciplines in Becton Hall. That gift, honoring Marion Turpan’s son and fellow FDU alumnus Dennis Turpan, also supported research space, graduate student work and scholarships within the College of Psychology and Counseling.
