Kenneth Eisenberg, chairman and chief executive officer of Kenwal Steel Corp. and his wife, Frances, have given $5 million to name and support the Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies. The gift is the largest ever received by the Department of History.

“Frances and I have always been committed to a liberal arts education, especially history,” Eisenberg says. “We could think of no better way to demonstrate our commitment than to provide financial support for the Institute for Historical Studies.”

Kenneth and Frances (Aftel) Eisenberg received their bachelor’s degrees from
U-M in 1964, he in history and she in education.

The gift will elevate the institute to national prominence by providing the resources to attract renowned historians and scholars to the University and create unparalleled educational opportunities, vigorous intellectual exchange and ground-breaking historical research. Through a variety of programs, seminars and lectures, the Eisenberg Institute will enable students, faculty and the broader community to interact with distinguished lecturers and international scholars. It also will sponsor outreach activities for teachers of history at the precollege level.

“The generosity of Kenneth and Frances Eisenberg will further the tremendous academic strengths of the Institute for Historical Studies, the Department of History, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts,” says President Mary Sue Coleman. “By advancing the study of history and the ways it is taught, the Eisenbergs’ gift secures a promising future for Michigan students and faculty.”

The Department of History, long ranked among the top five programs in the country, is one of only a handful nationwide that offers historical expertise spanning the globe and the ages.

“The Frances and Kenneth Eisenberg Institute will propel this already nationally ranked department into the forefront of its field and will enrich the University community immeasurably,” says LSA Dean Terrence J. McDonald. “This gift will create a legacy for decades to come.”

The Eisenbergs are active Michigan supporters. Kenneth Eisenberg is a member of McDonald’s The Michigan Difference campaign advisory group. His son, Stephen, also a graduate of LSA, is a member of the Greater Detroit Major Gifts Committee.

To date, LSA has raised more than $226 million from alumni and friends for scholarship aid and faculty and program support. The Eisenberg gift moves the college nearer to its $300 million fund-raising goal for the Michigan Difference campaign.