Mount Ida receives record $8m gift

Mount Ida College in Newton received $8 million from an anonymous donor on Thursday, the largest gift in the school’s 116-year history, officials said. The private college said the funds will be used to “provide innovative and cutting-edge programs built upon a foundation of a career-focused education” as well as for financial aid and scholarship support. Over 97 percent of Mount Ida students receive significant financial aid, according to Michael T. Burns, chairman of the Board of Trustees. One-third of the approximate 1,400 Mount Ida students are the first in their family to attend college, according to school officials.