Wayne State University Pharmacy School

Championing the Wayne State Foundation

Working closely with Wayne State University president emeritus Irvin D. Reid throughout his tenure, Eugene was able to bring a new level of philanthropy to the university. Reid met Applebaum a month before he became president in 1997, and called it an immediate meeting of the minds. They had similar views on the university—they felt that it was a premier urban research university that needed to relate to the city and vice versa, and Reid often bounced ideas off of Gene.

Reid wanted to create a foundation for the university, and Gene became its first chair. Together they raised about $1.1 billion, more than $900 million through WSU’s Capital Campaign.

“Without Gene, there was no way I could have started that campaign,” Reid has said. “Gene sees that he owes the city of Detroit and Wayne State, his alma mater; he’s a man who does not forget where he came from or who helped him to get there.”