Villanova announces $25 million gift to law school

VILLANOVA, Pa. -- Villanova University has announced a $25 million leadership gift to the university's school of law, the largest ever to the law school and the second-largest such gift in the university's history.

Officials say the gift is from Brinker Capital founder and executive chairman Charles Widger. He is a 1973 alumnus of the law school, which will now be named after him.

Widger called the gift an investment in "the rule of law and a market economy," both things he called vital to a free society.

Villanova said the gift will be used to provide financial support to incoming students interested in both law and business, for a new faculty member to help foster research and collaboration among Villanova's colleges and for an innovation fund.