Methodist University has received a record-setting gift of $14 million.

More than $12 million will go directly to student scholarships while $1.5 million will go towards to the nursing program’s new facility. The money was given to the university by Robert J. Chaffin’s estate.

Chaffin served on the Administrative Board and the Board of Trustees for Camp Ground Methodist Church in Fayetteville. He died earlier this year at the age of 93.

“Mr. Chaffin clearly was not looking for attention to his generosity during his lifetime. Quietly, very much behind the scenes, he was working on building a highly successful financial portfolio for the purpose of one day making a transformative gift to the university,” said MU President Stanley Wearden.

“While we knew he had established a bequest for the university, Mr. Chaffin never shared the full extent with us nor asked for any thanks in return.”