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Google founder Eric Schmidt has given a donation to Virginia Tech's School of Engineering in the sum of $2 million dollars. Schmidt grew up in Blacksburg and was the son of a Virginia Tech economics professor. He was also a neighbor to Paul Torgersen a former Dean of Tech's College of Engineering and president from 1993 to 2000.

Growing up Schmidt used to mow Torgersen's lawn. The two have kept in contact.

The gift establishes the Paul and Dorthea Torgersen Dean's Chair in Engineering. Torgersen was surprised that the chair was named in his honor. He thought it would be named after Schmidt. Torgersen said he was stunned and called it a nice gesture on Schmidt's part.

The chair will endow Engineering Dean Richard Benson. He will have control over allocating the funds.

Schmidt has given before to Tech. In 1999 he established the Wilson E. Schmidt Endowed Professorship in Economics in honor of his late father. The gift was in the amount of $250,000.

According to roanoke.com Schmidt wrote in an e-mail that the gift was a tribute to the Torgersens for all the contributions they have given to Tech. He went on to say he did not know of anyone who had done more for Virginia Tech in the last 40 years.

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Mike is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.