Apr 10, 2014 03:13 PM EDT By Jaleesa Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Dartmouth College received the largest single gift in the school's 244-year history from an anonymous donor, Inside Higher Ed reported.

The Ivy League college accepted an anonymous gift of $100 million which was offered as an "unqualified" endorsement of University President Philip Hanlon's sweeping vision for Dartmouth, which includes giving students uncommon access to new ideas around the globe through coursework and research opportunities.

"I am deeply honored and grateful for this extraordinary act of generosity," Hanlon said in a statement. "This historic gift is an exceptional vote of confidence as we embark on an exciting journey to ensure Dartmouth remains the preeminent undergraduate institution in the nation; a magnet for human talent; and a college that cultivates a culture of ideas, discovery, and solutions to problems that will make the world a better place."

The endorsement launches a broad vision to advance the school's teaching mission at the forefront of scholarship in a rapidly changing higher education landscape. School officials said they would like to strengthen its faculty, nurture a new generation of emerging scholars, and fortify and innovative interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research.

"The investment arrives at a pivotal moment in Dartmouth's history," Steve Mandel '78, chair of the Board of Trustees, said in a statement. "It marks the start of a remarkable era propelled by President Hanlon's vision for Dartmouth, a vision that has as its foundation the unparalleled academic excellence of a most distinct liberal arts college."

This first step to secure the future of Dartmouth's academic enterprise will be put to use in support of President Hanlon's recently announced Cluster Initiative and will create approximately 30 to 40 endowed faculty positions over the next decade through this measure alone.

To date, 29 cluster proposals-involving as many as eight faculty members each and more than 100 faculty in total-have been submitted to the Office of the Provost.

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