A recent gift of $11 million from Michigan State alum Kirk Faber will drive progress across three key areas of the university; the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation, the Plant and Environmental Sciences Building and MSU Athletics.
It is a broad investment in MSU’s future that supports the spaces and programs that will shape a far better world and enhance the Spartan community.
“Kirk’s generosity reflects what is so powerful about philanthropy at Michigan State — the ability to invest in people, possibility and the future all at once,” said Kim Tobin, vice president for University Advancement. “His commitment reaches across the university, creating places where Spartans will learn, discover, compete and come together for generations. It is an extraordinary expression of what Michigan State has meant to Kirk and of his belief in what Spartans can accomplish together.”
That sense of community continues to inspire Faber, a lifelong, loyal Spartan. Faber graduated from the College of Natural Science in 1969, where he studied zoology, before continuing his education at the University of Michigan where he earned his DDS. He eventually settled in Greenville, Michigan, where he began his general practice at Flat River Family Dentistry.
Faber has been generously supporting Spartan athletes and scholars since 1977. Now, in retirement, he has made this significant gift of $11 million to Spartan Athletics and the College of Natural Science, with an additional eight-figure planned gift to the College of Natural Science and to the MSU Capital Projects Endowment to continue supporting the university for years to come.
Each act of generosity has a personal motivation for Faber, who recalls all the ways that MSU continues to feel like home. “What I gained here at Michigan State allowed me to be where I am today,” he said.
As a student, Faber could often be found on the field or in the stands at various Spartan athletic activities, and it was through athletics that he discovered many life lessons to carry with him after graduation. “A lot of what you learn in athletics will apply later on in team situations, in work and in play,” said Faber. “The same principles apply to business as they do to athletics. No matter where you are, whether you’re at the top of the game or if you’re just supporting the game, you work as a team.”
Spartan Athletic Foundation President Tim House emphasized the impact Michigan State Athletics has on the entire Spartan community and how Faber’s gift will enhance that impact across generations. “Every time Spartan teams compete, we have an opportunity to promote the values of this amazing community to the world. Kirk fell in love with those values while cheering on our teams as a student, and now he’s made the tremendously generous decision to provide that experience for generations of Spartans for years to come with this gift. We are extremely grateful and excited to be great stewards of his support!”
Faber’s dedication to teamwork and collaboration knows no bounds. His gifts have focused on creating environments for Spartans to come together and innovate for the future. That means keeping up university infrastructure and technology to provide students with the tools they need to successfully enter the workforce.
Faber’s gift will specifically be used for developing a lobby entrance and a plaza at new campus buildings — spaces that are designed to foster collaboration and teamwork.
“The Plant and Environmental Sciences Building was designed to bring together researchers from different disciplines, all focused on tackling some of today’s most pressing challenges in the plant sciences,” said MSU College of Natural Science dean Eric L. Hegg. “The Kirk and Celeste Faber Lobby is the gateway to those collaborations, welcoming students, faculty and visitors into a space built for discovery.”
Additionally, Faber’s support of the Leinweber Center for Engineering and Digital Innovation plaza will create even more space for community innovations. The Leinweber Center is a visionary development, to be completed in 2028, dedicated to digital learning, laboratories supporting experimental and computational research and vibrant community spaces.
At the heart of Faber’s passion to enhance the Spartan community is the memory of his wife, Celeste. The lobby at the Plant and Environmental Sciences Building and the plaza at the Leinweber Center will be named in her honor. Additionally, the exterior commons area at the Leinweber Center will be known as the Faber Family Commons.
“The Faber Family Commons and the Kirk and Celeste Faber Plaza exemplify the idea of bringing people together to work on common problems,” said Hegg. “Used by hundreds of students and faculty every day, these spaces will become the starting point for exciting research, learning and innovation.”
For Faber, it is just one way he has generously chosen to honor his wife’s legacy and contribute to the community that made Michigan State feel like home.
“I don’t think there’s anything more valuable that you can contribute to than education,” said Faber. “I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Michigan State. And this is the place where my heart is.”