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Ceriale family foundation $20M gift will support student mental health

The building that houses Cornell Health (above) will be named The Ceriale Center for Cornell Health in recognition of a $20 million gift from Cornellian parents John and Melissa Ceriale.

Read the full story by Susan Kelley in the Cornell Chronicle.

A $20 million gift from Cornellian parents John and Melissa Ceriale will fund the placement of embedded therapists in Cornell’s Ithaca campus schools and colleges, and will significantly expand a well-being coaching program for all students.

In recognition of the gift, the building that houses Cornell Health will be named The Ceriale Center for Cornell Health. The naming was approved Oct. 17 by the Cornell Board of Trustees’ executive committee.

“The university is grateful to the Ceriale family for their extraordinary generosity to further Cornell’s commitment to our students’ health,” Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff said. “Mental health support has been and continues to be a priority at Cornell. This gift will help the university augment our comprehensive, campus-wide public health approach to mental health and well-being.”

The gift is from the Melissa and John V. Ceriale Family Foundation, for which the Ceriales serve as trustees. John Ceriale is also a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees. The couple have four children who are Cornell alumni: Sheena Thomas, J.D. ’15; Christy Ceriale ’16; Robby Ceriale ’18; and Jack Ceriale ’23.