Temple University announced a $55 million gift from alum and trustee Christopher Barnett to support the College of Public Health and create the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health in the renovated Paley Hall. The donation is the largest in Temple’s history and centralizes the college’s faculty, students and programs under one roof. University leaders said the gift will fund scholarships, strengthen workforce pipelines in public health and support research and community outreach. Barnett framed the donation as a response to funding cuts and misinformation facing public‑health fields. Why it matters: major philanthropic commitments can reshape a college’s academic capacity and recruitment. Public‑health programs across higher ed are watching for donor strategies that prioritize workforce development and centralized facilities amid national debates over public‑health funding.