Marquette University has received a major gift from business executive Daniel Jaffee to permanently endow its Marquette Mentors program.

Declining to share the amount of the gift, the university said Monday the contribution will secure the future of the mentorship initiative “in perpetuity.” The program will be renamed the Selig–Jaffee Marquette Mentors program, honoring both Major League Baseball Commissioner Emeritus Bud Selig and Jaffee’s father, Dick Jaffee.

Jaffee, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Oil-Dri Corporation of America, based in Chicago, currently serves as a mentor in the program. Two of his three children graduated from Marquette and also participated in the initiative.

“The Marquette Mentors program is truly distinctive and makes Marquette University unique,” Jaffee said.

The program, led by director Dan DeWeerdt and operated through the Marquette University Alumni Association, connects students with alumni mentors across approximately 30 states and Europe based on shared academic and career interests.

Since its founding, the program has served more than 1,600 student mentees and 300 mentors. It has been recognized by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education as a leading model for mentorship in higher education.

“Marquette students thrive when they have the opportunity to connect with passionate alumni who model what it means to be independent, engaged and purpose-driven professionals,” Marquette president Kimo Ah Yun said.

Jaffee credited Selig as one of the most influential mentors in his life, recalling a pivotal conversation in 2001 when he considered stepping down from leadership of Oil-Dri amid business challenges.

“I picked up the phone and called (Selig), and I told him I was failing and that I was quitting my role as the leader of the company,” Jaffee said. “He dropped everything that day. He told me, ‘You can’t quit now or you will always be defined as a failure.’ He talked me through needed adjustments and the importance of embracing mission. He is absolutely on my personal Mount Rushmore right next to my father.”

According to Jaffee, Selig’s encouragement and advice helped shape the company’s turnaround and subsequent growth.

Today, Jaffee shares similar lessons with students, particularly first-generation college attendees.

“First-generation students especially need access, and I find working with them particularly gratifying,” Jaffee said. “I tell students that life can drive you to your knees. But, that is when the learning sets in. That is when you have to tighten up your belt and try something different. As (Selig) told me so many years ago, the only thing that separates winners from losers is the winners get back up.”

The endowment comes as Marquette continues a strong fundraising streak. The university said fiscal year 2026 marks its fifth consecutive year surpassing $100 million in fundraising commitments.