The philanthropy of the Cummings Foundation, established by Bill and Joyce Cummings, has typically gone to educational institutions and other organizations in Massachusetts’ Essex, Suffolk, and Middlesex counties — though the funding of a school in Rwanda was a “step out of that cocoon” admits Bill Cummings, who founded the north-of-Boston real estate empire Cummings Properties.

The $20 million pledge to Roger Williams University, which will add a real estate education program to the school’s already robust educational offerings in architecture, historical preservation, and construction management is, likewise a bit outside of their natural geographic territory. Cummings credits that decision to his personal relationship with RWU President Ioannis Miaoulis, whom Cummings came to know when he was a trustee at his alma mater, Tufts University, and Miaoulis was dean of their engineering department. The two men maintained contact through Miaoulis’ time as the head of the Boston Museum of Science and his move to serve as President of RWU.

“In this case, we [The Cummings Foundation] put a personal relationship ahead of our broader goals,” said Cummings, who added that he could see in RWU a defined need that could truly be transformative for the school. Citing RWU’s strong foundation in historic preservation and design, Cummings saw an opportunity for both a positive impact on the local community as well as potential for practical real-world learning opportunities for students, noting the collaborative role that the business of real estate serves in historic preservation — and vice-versa.

Roger Williams will rededicate the architecture school as the Cummings School of Architecture and Real Estate, in recognition of this partnership. Details on the celebration will be announced soon.

“The University has a very strong foundation in architecture, preservation, urban planning, construction management…and launching a real estate program is an opportunity to extend and collaborate in multiple disciplines including finance, design, policy, and housing advocacy,” said Stephen White, the Dean of the Cummings School of Architecture and Real Estate.

“I’m very excited that the Cummings Foundation has the faith in our school to be able to foster that collaboration. We’re very excited.”
The School of Architecture — celebrating its 35th anniversary this year — will see an expansion of programming.

Planning is underway to launch integrated graduate Real Estate certificates in 2022 and undergraduate and graduate degree programs in 2023. Coursework would include everything from finance to design, planning and zoning, risk analysis, engineering, and law, among others.

The approach, too, will be grounded in a framework of social impact, sustainability, and community planning with an increased reach for environmental and social relevance.

“We’re building on that foundation,” said White, “and looking forward to it being synergistic. Real estate is a truly multi-disciplinary endeavor that values a commitment to a region, its people, and sustainability.”