MIAMI, Fla. (CBS12) — A $3 billion gift from billionaire Ken Griffin is bringing Carnegie Mellon University to Miami, with a new 35-acre campus in Wynwood expected to begin construction in 2027.
The Florida Council of 100 celebrated the investment Wednesday, calling it the largest individual gift in higher education history and a major boost to Florida’s “growing technology and innovation economy.”
Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, is giving $3 billion to Carnegie Mellon. About $2 billion will fund the new Miami campus, while $1 billion will support the university’s Pittsburgh campus, according to Carnegie Mellon.
Florida Council of 100 Release 9.30PDF previewPreview PDF
The Miami campus is expected to begin enrolling students in 2028, pending regulatory approvals, and eventually serve more than 3,500 undergraduate, master’s, and Ph.D. students, along with nearly 300 faculty members and more than 600 staff members.
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Carnegie Mellon said the Miami campus will take a different approach from a traditional university, organizing education and research around major societal challenges rather than traditional academic majors.
Its initial areas of focus will include human health and biological discovery, national security, energy and climate resilience, and advanced manufacturing.
The campus is also planned to include industry research labs and venture studios, bringing students, researchers, businesses, and community partners together in Wynwood.
Conceptual rendering. Plans for the CMU Miami campus are subject to necessary regulatory approvals. (CMU)
“Ken Griffin has made a historic investment in Florida’s capacity to lead,” said George LeMieux, chair of the Florida Council of 100. “Great research universities help build great economies.”
The council said the investment could strengthen the Gold Coast — Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties — by helping attract talent, investment and emerging industries.
“This puts the Gold Coast in a different league,” said Rodney Barreto, vice chair of the council.
Carnegie Mellon, founded in 1900 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, is known for its work in artificial intelligence, computer science, engineering, robotics, cybersecurity and other technology-focused fields. The university has also established programs including the world’s first robotics institute and the nation’s first computer science college, according to the university.
The university said the Miami campus is intended to build on those strengths while creating a new center for research, entrepreneurship and collaboration.
Once completed, CMU Miami is expected to become a major new academic presence in South Florida, with the university saying the campus could help develop talent and new enterprises while contributing to Miami’s economy.
The $3 billion contribution is Griffin’s largest-ever gift and the largest-ever individual gift in higher education, according to Carnegie Mellon.