$75 Million Gift for New UW–Madison Engineering Building: Brothers Leave a Lasting Legacy

A historic $75 million gift will fuel construction of a much-needed new engineering building at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

With their lead gift — the largest single gift in college history — brothers and UW–Madison alumni Marvin and Jeffrey Levy are honoring the memory of their brother, Phil, who passed away in 2021. A passionate and accomplished professional interior designer, Phil earned an English degree from the university in 1964.

A stunning facility that marries intentional design with future-ready engineering flexibility, the Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center will be the new centerpiece of the College of Engineering campus.

The transformative facility will spark collaboration and yield breakthroughs that echo across generations. With final approval by Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on March 6, 2024, it underscores the importance of outstanding engineers to Wisconsin’s economy.

Marv and Jeff formally announced their support for the new building at an event at Bascom Hall on the UW–Madison campus today, Sept. 11, 2024.

“Through this gift, we can ensure the College of Engineering will remain on the leading edge and educate an ever-expanding number of talented engineers for generations to come,” says Marv. “Our family deeply appreciates the vital role engineering plays in driving innovations that advance our society and contribute to people’s quality and enjoyment of life. Jeff and I view support of this new engineering building as a gift to the state of Wisconsin.”

Support for the state’s flagship engineering college is an investment in the state’s human capital, technological innovation, and economic prosperity. A vibrant, growing engineering college strengthens the state’s competitive advantage; fosters collaboration among academia, industry and government; and positions the state for long-term success in a rapidly evolving global economy.

In eight total stories (seven above ground, one below), the 395,000 square-foot Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center will allow the College of Engineering to expand its enrollment and amplify its positive effects on people, communities, businesses and industries everywhere.

That’s exactly the effect their elder brother would have wanted, say Marv (who earned bachelor’s degrees in education and history in 1968 and a JD in 1971) and Jeff (who earned bachelor’s degrees in education and history in 1972).

A gracious, compassionate, gentle and generous man with a big personality, Phil had a gift for connecting with people, making them feel welcome, seen and heard. He believed art, the arts and thoughtful design could — and should — benefit all people and bring about a greater sense of personal worth and community pride.

An art collector and artist himself, Phil wove his creative interests throughout his personal and professional endeavors. For the first few decades of his career, he was president of his family’s Phillips Home Specialty Stores in Madison. In the mid-1980s, he moved to California, where he studied at the prestigious ArtCenter College of Design in Los Angeles.

Returning to Madison, he founded Phillip Levy Fine Furniture and Interior Design, earning accolades over the next three decades for his client-centric interior design and renovations. His projects ranged from country clubs, retail stores and restaurants to hotels and historic homes — among them, Olin House, the UW­–Madison chancellor’s residence — in Wisconsin, California, Florida and Arizona.

Phil also was an engaged community member and ardent volunteer. He was a member of the American Society of Interior Designers and the International Interior Design Association and was president of the IIDA Wisconsin chapter. He was active on the boards of organizations including the Madison Rotary, United Way, Madison Civic Music Association, Madison Opera, Madison Chamber Orchestra, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, Dane County Arts Council, Wisconsin Youth Symphony, Madison AIDS Support Network, Dane County Humane Society, and the Madison Jewish Federation.

As a member of the UW­–Madison School of Human Ecology Board of Visitors, Phil was both champion and benefactor, encouraging the school to expand student access to professional development experiences, including internships and connections to acclaimed professionals. He established the Phillip A. Levy Design Excellence Fund, which aligned with his belief in the power of design to solve problems of everyday life. The ripple effect of this generosity has led to the school’s new Master of Science in Design + Innovation program — offered jointly with the College of Engineering — and a growing national footprint in life-centered design and innovation.

Phil’s deep commitment to UW­–Madison reflects that of the Levy family, whose legacy of leadership includes philanthropic support of myriad university initiatives and programs, as well as support for and visionary volunteerism in educational, medical, religious and community organizations that enrich lives in Madison and across Wisconsin.

In addition to service activities, Marv and Jeff operate Phillips Distributing Corp., a business their family founded nearly a century ago. Experiencing tragedy, poverty and financial success in their lifetimes, the brothers’ parents, Irving and Dorothy Levy, inspired their commitment to helping others by giving of their time and resources. In 2021, Marv and Jeff made a lead gift in their memory for a new College of Letters & Science academic building, Irving and Dorothy Levy Hall, on campus.

While enabling the College of Engineering’s growth trajectory, the brothers’ latest gift also will ensure the college remains a top destination for state and national recruiters seeking engineering leaders.

Companies ranging from large corporations to startups and small businesses rely on engineering talent to innovate, solve complex problems, and drive growth and competitiveness. Graduates of Wisconsin’s flagship engineering program excel as members of the workforce, as well as engineering leaders in companies, academia and government organizations worldwide.  The Phillip A. Levy Engineering Center adds the safe, modern and flexible space the College of Engineering urgently needs to expand. It will enable the college to accept, educate and graduate many more exceptional students. As a catalyst for attracting additional top engineering faculty, it will allow the college to aggressively pursue emerging research opportunities, coalesce around common challenges and goals, and easily collaborate with industry partners.

“We aren’t engineers,” says Jeff, “but we are engineering a great campus.”

In addition to the Levys’ $75 million gift, the college must raise an additional $75 million for the $347 million facility, which received $197 million in funding from the state of Wisconsin. Other generous donors already have pledged funds to the project.