2 one-time dropouts donate $60M to Northeastern

BOSTON (AP) -- Two Northeastern University dropouts who later returned to school to complete degrees that launched them on successful careers have given the college its largest financial gift in history.

The $60 million gift from Richard D'Amore and Alan McKim will go to support Northeastern's business school, which will be renamed the D'Amore-McKim School of Business. The gift was triple Northeastern's previous largest gift.

D'Amore is a co-founder at North Bridge Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Waltham. McKim is the founder and CEO of Clean Harbors, a provider of environmental, energy and industrial services.

Both said the university had an enormous impact on their lives, and hope the gift will help and inspire future generations of students.

President Joseph Aoun called it an "unprecedented investment."