Chair of the Butler Board of Trustees Jatinder-Bir “Jay” Sandhu ‘87 and his wife Roop recently donated $250,000 to Butler University to establish the Chain S. Sandhu Scholarship for students studying Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Andre B. Lacy School of Business. The endowed scholarship honors the legacy and leadership of Jay’s father Chain S. Sandhu, a successful entrepreneur and community leader who recently passed away after bravely battling cancer. Scholarships are a top funding priority of the Butler Beyond comprehensive fundraising campaign and have become even more critical due to the global COVID-19 pandemic that has impacted the financial circumstances of many current and incoming Butler students.

“Roop and I are so grateful to have the opportunity to honor my father’s legacy through a scholarship that will help deserving students to earn a Butler degree,” Sandhu says. “My father has had a profound impact on many lives as a boss, mentor, and friend, and he has always sought to open doors of opportunity for others. I can think of no better way to honor his extraordinary life than to offer the gift of a Butler education, which will surely open many doors of opportunity for future generations.”

Chain Sandhu emigrated from India in 1969 and purchased NYX, Inc., an automotive supplier in Livonia, Michigan, in 1989. Under Chain’s leadership, NYX grew from 30 employees and $2 million in sales to 4,200 employees in five countries and nearly $700 million in sales, becoming one of Michigan’s largest minority-owned companies. The Chain S. Sandhu Scholarship will be awarded to students with financial need with preference for recipients of the Dr. John Morton-Finney Leadership Award or the 21st Century Scholarship. In 2018, Jay and Roop Sandhu also donated $1 million to Butler University to support construction of the new building for the Lacy School of Business, naming the building’s stunning rooftop garden in honor of Chain.

“The Sandhu family exemplifies the highest values of Butler University. We are honored to celebrate Chain Sandhu’s legacy through the newly-established endowed scholarship, as well as the Chain S. Sandhu Rooftop Garden at Butler,” says Butler President James Danko.

Butler recently committed an additional $10 million in financial aid for incoming and current students in response to the COVID-19 crisis. One of the goals of the University’s new Butler Beyond strategic direction is to expand access to a more diverse set of learners in keeping with Butler’s founding mission. Philanthropic support of student scholarships is critical to achieving this vision for Butler’s future.

“At a time when many of our current and prospective students are facing financial challenges due to the unforeseen effects of this pandemic, providing access to education through a scholarship is an especially meaningful gift,” says Vice President for Enrollment Management Lori Greene. “Butler University is deeply grateful to the Sandhu family for their generosity to our students, and we look forward to celebrating Chain’s life and legacy every year by awarding this scholarship to a deserving student following in his footsteps.”

Butler Beyond: The Campaign for Butler University is the University’s largest-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign, with a goal of $250 million. The campaign will conclude on May 31, 2022.

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