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Recent Private Gifts to Higher Education: Another Big Win for Philosophy

By  Chronicle Staff
August 12, 2018

The field of philosophy has attracted its second major gift of the year. In January, the Johns Hopkins University announced a $75-million gift for its philosophy department. Now the University of California at Los Angeles has said that its philosophy department will receive $20 million of a $25-million donation made in honor of two UCLA professors. Other recent gifts include ones devoted to addiction research, bioethics, engineering design, divinity studies, and student success.

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The field of philosophy has attracted its second major gift of the year. In January, the Johns Hopkins University announced a $75-million gift for its philosophy department. Now the University of California at Los Angeles has said that its philosophy department will receive $20 million of a $25-million donation made in honor of two UCLA professors. Other recent gifts include ones devoted to addiction research, bioethics, engineering design, divinity studies, and student success.

RankInstitutionDonorDonor backgroundGift valuePurpose
1. U. of California at Los Angeles Kenneth M. Panzer, and Jordan L. and Christine Kaplan Jordan Kaplan is president and chief executive of Douglas Emmett, a property-management company in Santa Monica, Calif., where Panzer is chief operating officer. $25 million $20 million for the philosophy department and $5 million to endow scholarships for graduate students in the humanities; the gift is in honor of Jordan Kaplan’s parents, Renée and David Kaplan, longtime UCLA faculty members, and UCLA will rename its Humanities Building for them
2. Luther Seminary Dean L. Buntrock founder and former chief executive of Waste Management, in Houston $21.4 million support for a five-year pilot accelerated master-of-divinity program that covers full-tuition scholarships and some living expenses for students
3. Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics Alexander and VIcki Levi Alexander Levi is a clinical psychologist in New York whose grandparents founded Hecht’s department stores. $15 million endowment to provide additional support for the Hecht-Levi Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, which the donors helped create with a previous gift; support for tuition for master’s students in bioethics, and for leadership training for promising students
3. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology anonymous n/a $15 million support for construction of a building for the university’s new engineering-design program, which will include classroom, laboratory, research, and collaborative spaces
5. Linfield College Ken and Grace Evenstad founders of the Domaine Serene Winery, in Oregon $6 million (pledge) endowment for creation of the Grace and Ken Evenstad Center for Wine Education, the Evenstad Wine Laboratory, and a professorship in wine studies
6. Criswell College anonymous n/a $5 million support for construction of the college’s first residence hall, which will be named for the now-anonymous donor upon completion
7. U. of California at Los Angeles, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science Robert and Dorothy Webb Robert Webb is an aerospace consultant who worked for decades as a nuclear engineer at TRW, a space and defense-technology manufacturer that was acquired by Northrop Grumman in 2002. He received his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in engineering from UCLA. Dorothy Webb, who was a librarian, earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish at UCLA. $3 million support for the university’s new Engineering VI building and an endowment for an engineering fellowship
7. U. of Houston College of Medicine anonymous n/a $3 million coverage of full tuition for the college’s inaugural class of 30 students
9. Flathead Valley Community College anonymous donor who specified that the gift was in honor of one of the community college’s founders, Bill McClaren, who died in March at age 89 $2.5 million support for a capital campaign to build a new library and a College Center that will provide recreational and performance spaces
10. U. of California at Los Angeles School of Law Stewart and Lynda Resnick The Resnicks own the Wonderful Company, which encompasses food and beverage brands like Fiji Water, Pom Wonderful, and Wonderful Pistachios. $2.4 million support for strengthening research and educational programs at the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy, which the donors helped establish with a $4-million gift in 2013
11. Wayne State U. Jacqueline Walker 1954 graduate of the university’s law school who worked as a judge on the California Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board until she retired in 2005; she died in 2017 at the age of 90 $2.1 million (bequest) creation of a scholarship for students from low-income families
12. U. of Kansas Daniel P. Logan and Gladys Cofrin Daniel Logan is a physician and an assistant professor in the addiction-medicine division of the University of Florida’s College of Medicine. Gladys Cofrin is a retired therapist. $2 million establishment of the Cofrin-Logan Center for Addiction Research & Treatment in the department of psychology of the university’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
12. Westmont College anonymous n/a $2 million support for the college’s new Center for Student Success
14. California State U.-Dominguez Hills Lyman Chaffee a member of the faculty of the department of political science from 1969 to 2005 who also served as department chairman for several years and as director of the university’s international programs; he died in April 2018 $1.7 million (bequest) establishment of an endowed chair in global and comparative politics, and scholarships to allow political-science majors to study abroad
15. Citrus College Foundation John W. Cassey a member of the college’s faculty from 1960 to 2002 who taught Western civilization, world politics, and humanities; he died in March 2017 $1.3 million (bequest) support for scholarships for students in history, political science, and nursing, and for student and faculty enrichment programs
15. U. of Missouri at St. Louis Steward Family Foundation (David L. and Thelma Steward) David Steward is founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, in St. Louis. $1.3 million (pledge) establishment of the David & Thelma Steward Institute for Jazz Studies, and support for scholarships, artists in residence, jazz students’ travel to performances, and summer jazz camp for middle- and high-school students

Note: Gifts and biographical information were compiled from news articles, news releases, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s database of charitable gifts. The database compiles gifts of $1 million or more from 2005 to the present.The Chronicle of Higher Education maintains a separate list of major gifts of $50 million or more to colleges and universities, dating back to 1967. The value of gifts is based on information from institutions or donors at the time the gifts were promised or received. In cases of stock, property, art, and other noncash donations, actual value may have increased or decreased since the gifts were pledged or received. Grants are excluded. Gifts of the same amount are listed alphabetically by institution. Information on gifts can be sent to gifts@philanthropy.com. Questions or comments on the Chronicle List should be sent to Ruth Hammond.

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A version of this article appeared in the August 17, 2018, issue.
We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
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