Wayne State University to Dedicate Alumni Association House to Former Graduate

Wayne State graduate Thomas Tierney has donated $2 million to the school’s alumni association.

A Wayne State graduate is donating $2 million to the school’s alumni association. The gift will be used to maintain the organization’s new offices in the Hecker House and fund future programming. Wayne State Vice President of Alumni Affairs Chacona Johnson says the donor, Thomas Tierney, inquired about naming rights for the house after attending the school’s Detroit Homecoming event last year.

“At that time we were purchasing what was then the Charfoos law offices in the Hecker House, and, unbeknownst to us, Mr. Tierney was paying close attention to that. He’s very partial to older homes and grand mansions.”

-Chacona Johnson

Johnson says, prior to Tierney’s 2014 visit, he had not been back to Detroit in almost 40 years. The school is officially dedicating the Hecker House as the Tierney Alumni House on Wednesday.

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