Burton Weil Family Foundation Launches with Focus on Academic Excellence and Memphis Impact
Memphis philanthropist Burton Weil has launched the Burton Weil Family Foundation in partnership with the Jewish Foundation of Memphis, marking what is expected to become one of the city’s largest and most enduring philanthropic efforts. The foundation’s first major investment is a bold move to support academic excellence and local leadership through the creation of the Weil Scholars Program at the University of Memphis.
“This is a major philanthropic investment that will benefit our community for generations,” said Laura Linder, president and CEO of Jewish Community Partners. “Burton has created a foundation with a strategic goal of funding organizations and programs that will strengthen our city.”
The Burton Weil Family Foundation is also meant to serve as a model for generational philanthropy. By involving his children in the foundation’s mission, Weil hopes to pass down values of giving and civic leadership while formalizing his long-standing commitment to investing in programs that make a measurable difference.
The foundation’s first major initiative—the Weil Scholars Program—is an academic scholarship effort focused on attracting some of the highest-performing students from around the country to the University of Memphis. What sets this program apart is its merit-based structure and broad eligibility: it includes undergraduate students, graduate students, law students at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, and medical students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
The first cohort, launching in Fall 2024, will include 12 incoming freshmen, 10 graduate students, two law students, and two medical students. A second cohort will follow in Fall 2025 with the same structure. All Weil Scholars will receive renewable scholarships to cover tuition and fees through the completion of their degrees.
Graduate students eligible for the program must be pursuing advanced degrees in high-impact fields such as biomedical engineering, business administration, computer science, data science, engineering, or public health.
University of Memphis President Bill Hardgrave emphasized the lasting value of the program. “The breadth and depth of this program’s reach will have a lasting impact on the U of M and will elevate our national recruitment efforts,” Hardgrave said. “This initiative will be instrumental as we continue to distinguish the University of Memphis as a nationally recognized R1 research institution.”
The program also has the potential to benefit the city of Memphis directly. Historically, up to 90% of University of Memphis graduates and a large percentage of UTHSC medical graduates stay in the area. By investing in the next generation of innovators and leaders, Weil hopes to strengthen the local workforce and drive Memphis forward.
Weil, who earned his MBA from the University of Memphis in 1966 and a law degree from Vanderbilt University, is the founder of private equity firm Venture Associates Partners. His commitment to giving back through education is rooted in his deep love for the city and belief in its future.
“It’s a privilege for me to help these outstanding students by providing them with the financial support they need so they can develop their talents and pursue their passions,” Weil said. “It is my hope that they will grow to love Memphis as much as I do.”
For more information about the Weil Scholars Program, visit www.memphis.edu/weilscholars
