Nichols receives $1M anonymous donation for data science initiatives

A large building with a statue of a bison in front of it.

Photo | Courtesy of Nichols College Nichols College in Dudley

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Students at Nichols College studying data science will soon have more resources at their disposal, following a $1-million donation to the school from an anonymous donor.

The donation, which was announced by the Dudley-based college on Wednesday, is the first major contribution to the school announced since the October resignation of former president Glenn Sulmasy.

"I am immensely grateful to the donor, not only for his generosity but for his foresight in recognizing the impact this gift will have on educating the next generation of professionals,” Bill Pieczynski, interim president of Nichols, said in the press release announcing the donation.

The school will utilize the funds to support students and faculty who are working to advance data science knowledge and skills. Nichols offers a graduate certificate in data analytics and offers data science courses as part of its accelerated executive MBA program, according to the school’s website.

In November 2021, the school hired Kevin Mentzer, co-author of the book “Movie Analytics: A Hollywood Introduction to Big Data” and a former associate professor at Bryant University in Rhode Island, to serve as Nichols’ trustee professor of data science and emerging technologies.

"Nichols College has been at the forefront of preparing graduates for the digital transformation of business through our signature student-managed programs in intelligent process automation and real-world consulting," Pieczynski said in the release. "A gift of this magnitude will greatly enhance these already robust efforts by expanding research and experiential learning opportunities that ultimately broaden career prospects for our students.”

Pieczynski was named the interim president of the school by the Nichols College Board of Trustees on Oct. 12, weeks after Sulmasy issued his resignation to the school. Sulmasy resigned while the school was conducting a third-party investigation into his conduct while he was serving as lieutenant and attorney at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, following a CNN report saying he sent sexually suggestive text messages to a student he once taught there.