Lafayette College has received one of the largest contributions in the college's history from Trustee Kent Rockwell, Lafayette College, Class of '66. The gift, made to a trust that Rockwell established benefiting the college, was in the form of stock that was sold for $27.9 million.

The gift is expected to support a new interdisciplinary science facility at the college.

"We are immensely grateful for this extraordinary and historic gift," said Lafayette President Alison Byerly. "Lafayette is committed to becoming a leader in offering innovative educational programs in fields at the intersection of the life sciences, technology and engineering. Kent Rockwell's vision and generosity will enable us to strengthen our efforts in this area significantly."

Rockwell has been chairman and CEO of Rockwell Venture Capital, Inc., Pittsburgh, since 1983. The firm invests in technology-based engineering products and services. He is chairman and CEO of Rockwell Forest Products and of ExOne, a global provider of three-dimensional printing machines and printed products to industrial customers. He also is chairman of Strata Proximity Systems, which provides safety systems for mines.

Rockwell graduated from Lafayette with a major in economics and attended the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. He was elected in 2009 to his second term as a Lafayette trustee. He also served on the board from 1971 - '75.

He established the S. Kent Rockwell '66 Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid to Marquis Scholars at Lafayette. His father, Willard Rockwell, through the Rockwell Foundation, established the Rockwell Foundation Scholarship Fund.