Jack C. Taylor, Washington University alumnus and founder of Enterprise Holdings, has given $25 million to the University to supplement the endowment for the existing Enterprise Holdings Scholars Program.

This gift matches Enterprise Holding’s 2001 gift to the University, which created the scholarship program.

University administrators have stressed that a gift of this magnitude can substantially impact the ability of students to attend Washington University.

“With this extraordinary gift, which matches its own grant 10 years ago—the largest scholarship gift ever made to Washington University—Enterprise Holdings once again demonstrates its dedication to expanding opportunities for deserving young scholars from throughout our society,” Chancellor Wrighton said in a press release. “The company’s generosity also underscores its commitment to give back to the communities it serves.”

According to University officials, this gift will significantly help the University achieve its goal of raising $150 million for scholarships by 2014. The goal was introduced in 2009 as “Opening Doors to the Future: The Scholarship Initiative.”

The Enterprise scholarship generally aids between 30 and 40 students each year—a total of nearly 200 students since 2001.

Current members of the scholarship program say that it has played a large role in their time at the University.

“It is pretty integral to my experience here,” said junior Sheri Balogun, an Enterprise Scholar. “It is really important.”

Balogun hopes that the donation will continue to enrich the Washington University experience for future generations of students.

“The donation that has been made by Enterprise and the Taylor family is going to hugely impact the lives of future enterprise scholars. Hopefully there will be even more of them in the future,” she said.

Members of the Taylor family appreciate the opportunity to provide students with the means to attend Washington University.

“It is truly rewarding to support this great St. Louis institution and provide deserving students with the chance to experience the benefits of this excellent university,” Jo Ann Taylor Kindle, president of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, said in a statement. “My family and the members of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation take great pride in supporting Washington University in St. Louis.”

Enterprise Holdings is the parent company of several rental car brands including Enterprise Rent-A-Car.