Agnes Varis, H03
About her
A Tufts trustee and member of the Board of Overseers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, philanthropist Agnes Varis is among the university's most generous supporters. 
She has given naming gifts for the new campus center as well as for a lecture hall and for a hospital ward for cats at the Cummings School; university-wide, she has been a benefactor of the Granoff Music Center and donated the Agnes Varis University Chair in Science and Society. A pioneering entrepreneur in the generic drug industry, Varis has donated millions to causes in politics, education, healthcare, and the arts.
About her latest gift
Thanks to her most recent gift, of $2.5 million, a fund-raising drive for a new auditorium at the Cummings School is more than halfway home. Construction is expected to begin this spring on the 173-seat auditorium, which will be an inviting academic hub for students and the entire community.
Why she supports Tufts
"I see all these young people who want to change the world, which gives me hope for our country," she says. "Tufts builds citizens of the world. That's our mission, and boy, do we need it more than ever. I have a lot of pride in the school. When I see someone walking down the street with 'Tufts' written across his or her shirt, I'll go up and introduce myself: I say, 'I'm Agnes Varis – I'm a trustee.'"
