The Person
There is also a good biography of Clarence Mackay on Wikipedia
here. The university's
website has a short bio on Clarence Mackay and reads:
Clarence H. Mackay was born in 1874, the same year that the University of Nevada opened. Mackay dedicated his life to bettering our university. He wanted to provide the community with access to high quality higher education. In order to understand the life of Clarence H. Mackay, it is important to look at the life of his father, John W. Mackay. John was a pioneer of the Comstock Lode and had vested interests in mining in California and Nevada. In a short time, John struck it rich. He discovered the great ore body known as the Big Bonanza in the consolidated Virginia and California mines. These two mines produced over $100,000,000 in just five short years. This money was passed down to his family. His son, Clarence, would later donate a large portion of his inheritance to the University of Nevada for various buildings and programs...
... The boom years of the Roaring Twenties did not prepare people for what was to come. Although it once seemed as if the money would never run out, Clarence Mackay was not immune to the financial disaster brought about by the Great Depression. This economic downturn greatly affected Clarence’s business and personal fortune, limiting the amount of money he would be able to donate to the University. In a December 29, 1932, letter to the president of the University, Water E. Clark, he asked if the University could seek state funding to cover the $18,000 he had been donating annually for the School of Mines salaries.
The cash-strapped university replied that it was not in a position to seek salary funding for the Mackay School of Mines from the state. In response, on February 1, 1933, Clarence Mackay sent the first of two $9,000 checks to the university. This demonstrates that even when undergoing unprecedented financial problems, himself, Clarence’s unwavering support for the university drove him to continue his financial support. Clarence’s passion for mining, athletics and science had a positive effect on the University’s growth that is seen today. He brought together the student body and faculty by giving them the tools they needed to perform their jobs with the utmost precision. His donation of resources for athletic programs helped cultivate the campus community and develop school spirit. Clarence believed that access to higher education would benefit not only the northern Nevada community, but the entire state, and he was proven right. Today, the University of Nevada, Reno is recognized as a competitor in both academics and athletics. None of this would have been possible without the vision and financial support of the great Clarence Mackay.