Pritzker Family Pledges $10 Million to Maintain Access

Issue 1 n Volume 10
n
Summer 2010
Arelys Villeda, ’10, is one of more than 90 Chicago-area students who received need-based aid from Stanford this year. Raised only by her mom, a housekeeper, she has studied in Chile
and Spain, conducted research in sociology, and graduated in June with a dream of someday leading her hometown public school system. In years to come, students like Villeda will
benefit from the Pritzker family scholarship gift. PHOTO: Steve Gladfelter and Eric Koziol
Pritzker Family Pledges $10 Million to Maintain Access
for Needy Chicago Students
PHOTO: Eric Koziol
The Pritzker family of Chicago, founders of the Hyatt hotel
group, has pledged $10 million to help Chicago-area students
who attend Stanford. The university will use the gift to create
a scholarship fund dedicated to supporting students from the
Chicago region who come to the university with considerable
financial need.
The gift is timely. As families struggle with the impact of the
recession, the need for financial aid has grown. Nearly half of
Stanford undergraduates now depend on scholarships from the
university, up from 40 percent prior to the recession. And while
the university’s financial aid budget has doubled in the last five
years, endowment losses have sharply reduced available resources.
In fact, the university currently faces a significant shortfall
between scholarship endowment funding and student need.
The Pritzker family’s gift was made
through the Pritzker Foundation,
which is committed to improving the
quality of life for residents of the
Chicago region and to sustaining
the vitality of the city. Members
of the Pritzker family with ties to
Stanford include Gigi Pritzker Pucker,
who earned her undergraduate
degree from Stanford in 1984;
Penny Pritzker, a 1984 graduate of
both Stanford Law School and the
university’s Graduate School of
Business; and Nicholas Pritzker and
Thomas Pritzker, both parents of
Stanford students and graduates.
The Pritzker Scholars Fund will help close that gap by providing
an infusion of support to cover a portion of the financial aid
typically awarded to needy students from Chicago. The gift
represents a key commitment to the university’s redoubled
scholarship fundraising efforts. The Stanford Challenge goal for
endowed scholarships now sits at $300 million—three times the
target at the outset of the campaign (see related stories on pages
two and three).
“Our family believes firmly in the transformative value of
higher education,” says Penny Pritzker, JD/MBA ’84, a Chicago
business executive. “Scholarships are a powerful way to level
the playing field for promising students with financial need. It’s
our way of giving back to the community by inspiring Chicago
students to reach their highest potential.”
Currently, one-third of the 90-plus undergraduate students from
the Chicago region who receive need-based aid from Stanford are
from families earning less than $60,000 a year—qualifying them
for full support under the university’s financial aid program.
Beginning in the fall of 2010, the Pritzker Scholars Fund will
help underwrite financial aid for these students and succeeding
generations. It will be one of the university’s largest endowed
scholarship funds, supporting a growing cohort of talented
recipients.
“Part of the reason the family chose to partner with Stanford is its
deep commitment to need-blind admission and efforts to ensure
that top-quality higher education is accessible and affordable to all
capable students,” Gigi Pritzker Pucker, ’84, adds.
Stanford’s financial aid program is one of the most robust in
higher education. Students from families earning less than
$100,000 a year and with assets typical for their income level
attend tuition-free. Parents making less than $60,000 are not
expected to pay tuition or contribute to the costs of room, board,
and other educational expenses. Aid packages do not require
students to take out loans, though students are still expected to
help finance their education by contributing from earnings or
savings, or from outside scholarships, if available.
“We are extremely grateful for the Pritzker family’s leadership and
generosity,” says university President John Hennessy. “Stanford is
committed to keeping its doors open for students from all walks
of life, and this gift helps us reinforce that pledge—especially in
this economy. The real effect of their investment, however, will be
felt beyond Stanford and the students from the Chicago area who
will benefit, as generations of Pritzker Scholars go on to become
leaders in their communities and in the world.” n
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A Defining Commitment
…to undergraduate
scholarships
The university’s bold commitment to educating the most talented students in the nation, regardless of their financial
circumstances, is fundamental to Stanford’s excellence. Yet it’s a costly promise to uphold and presents a significant funding
challenge at present.
In the face of the economic recession, more students need more aid than ever before. At the same time, Stanford’s
endowment—the principal source of scholarship funding—has declined sharply. For the next three to five years, the university
projects an annual shortfall between need-based scholarship endowment funding and student need of approximately $40
million. Similarly, Stanford’s athletics scholarship program—key to our ability to attract top student-athletes—faces a budget
gap of $3 million for each of the next few years. Nonetheless, the university’s pledge to deserving and exceptional students
stands firm.
STANFORD CHALLENGE
ENDOWED NEED-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
PROGRESS AS OF MAY 31, 2010
$150.4 M
RAISED
$300 M
GOAL
To bolster scholarship resources:
• The Stanford Challenge goal for endowed need-based scholarships has been increased to $300 million—three times the target established at the outset of the campaign.
• In addition, the campaign includes a new $25 million goal for endowed athletic scholarships.
• The university will rely increasingly on annual gifts, which can be put to work immediately to meet the needs of today’s students. Donors who make five-year pledges to The Stanford Fund or the Buck/Cardinal Club of at least $25,000 per year will be connected one-on-one to the students who benefit from their support.
For more information, please visit scholarships.stanford.edu.
“We believe there is no better investment than to support the students who will become tomorrow’s leaders.”
–John L. Hennessy
Stanford University President
Honoring Professor and Pioneer
Science brought Allan Campbell and Alice del Campillo
together nearly 60 years ago. He was teaching microbiology at
the University of Michigan; she was working toward a PhD in
biochemistry. Their research took them from Ann Arbor to Paris
to Rochester, and eventually to Stanford, where they have worked
side by side since 1968.
Science also brought Richard Beleson, ’76, into the Campbells’
orbit, as he began his sophomore year at Stanford in 1973. “It
was the golden era of discoveries,” Beleson explains. “I wanted to
work in a research lab, particularly in molecular biology, and I saw
Professor Campbell as one of the pioneers in the field.”
It was the beginning of a lifelong relationship, which Beleson
recently commemorated with a $1 million gift to establish a
scholarship in honor of the Campbells. His gift will be matched
1-to-1 by the university to create a $2 million endowment.
Karen Cheng, ’10 (profiled below), is the first recipient.
Karen Cheng, ’10
Recipient, Richard Beleson Scholarship Fund in Honor of Professor Allan Campbell and Dr. Alice del Campillo Campbell
Majors: Biology and Philosophy
What motivates you?
My parents moved to the United States from Hong Kong. My father is a cabinetmaker. My mother is a checker at a
grocery store. They always stress doing your best. Seeing how hard they work is a strong motivator for me.
Why two majors?
Biology is typically very focused in one area of one specific problem, whereas philosophy looks at the bigger picture
and is very useful in thinking through the logic of things. That will help me next year in medical school – especially
with regard to ethics.
You fulfilled your graduation requirements early. How did you
spend your last quarter at Stanford?
I worked at the medical school in the lab of Professor Thomas Quertermous exploring
the ways certain single nucleotide polymorphisms of DNA sequences contribute
to coronary heart disease. I’ve been doing a lot of pipetting lately.
Junior year you actually took Genetics of Prokaryotes
with Professor Campbell. What was that like?
He’s a really good professor because he’s done it all. Most of the time,
the class was just in awe of him. It was just amazing thinking of all he
has accomplished.
Do you remember the day you were accepted to Stanford?
For a long time I didn’t tell people I got in because I wasn’t sure if I could
afford to go. I don’t think I’d be here without scholarship support.
Scholarship donor Richard Beleson, ’76, and recipient Karen Cheng, ’10,
with Dr. Alice del Campillo Campbell and Professor Allan Campbell
PHOTO: Steve Gladfelter
U N D E R G R A D U AT E S C H O L A R S H I P S
Campbell, now the Barbara Kimball Browning Professor in
the School of Humanities and Sciences, was indeed a pioneer,
renowned for discovering how viruses insert their DNA into host
chromosomes. What became known as the Campbell Insertion
Model explained this fundamental process at a time when researchers
were still figuring out the basics of genetic structure and helped to
lay the groundwork for the biotechnology industry. His insights and
achievements have earned him many honors in the scientific world.
“My general method of approaching science is to look at the
information we have in the field, try to construct the simplest most
satisfying picture of it, and then test it—over and over again—to
make sure it’s really true,” he says.
Professor Campbell is quick to point out that his wife made her own
mark in research. “When we were married in 1958, Alice had a much
more impressive publication record than I did,” he says. Most of her
research had been done in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Severo
Ochoa at New York University, where she met and sometimes worked
beside leading biochemists of the era. At Stanford, she stepped back
to focus on raising their children, Wendy, ’82, and Joseph, ’84. But
she served as a research associate, and Beleson often found himself
working alongside her during his three years in the Campbell lab. It
was a close-knit group: “Allan never liked a big lab because he liked
to interact with the students,” says Alice Campbell. Occasionally,
Beleson and the other students were invited home for dinner.
Beleson went on to combine his background in molecular biology
with a master’s in business and became one of the first stock analysts
to focus on biotechnology—just as the industry was getting off the
ground. “I saw a lot of companies go from just a dream to a reality,”
he says. Coincidentally, both he and
Professor Campbell are wrapping up
their careers this year and looking
forward to retirement.
Endowing a scholarship is
Beleson’s way of giving
back to Stanford and
celebrating his biotech
career. It also reflects his
high regard for the science
that first connected him
with the Campbells:
“Dr. Campbell is a pure
scientist, and I respect
the fact that he has
continued to be true to
studying pure molecular
biology for the sake of
science. I think that is
wonderful and wanted to
honor him.” n
Taking a Lead
Susan, ’78, and William Oberndorf, MBA ’78 (Parents ’12),
have made a significant commitment to The Stanford Challenge
by adding to an endowed undergraduate scholarship fund they
established in 2000. Both are members of The Stanford Challenge
Leadership Council. In addition, Susan recently joined the campaign
Steering Committee to lead volunteer activities in support of
scholarship fundraising. Here’s what the Oberndorfs have to say
about the intensified effort:
their interests. It’s pretty phenomenal to learn about a subject from
the person who made the discoveries.
What motivated you to make a new commitment to
financial aid?
What are the most compelling reasons
for Benefactor readers to consider
supporting scholarships?
Susan: A couple of things. First, I believe broadly that education is
something you can give a person that can never be taken away. It has
not only changed our lives, but many others. Second, we’ve really
come to appreciate the richness of today’s Stanford undergraduate
community through the experiences of our son, who is a sophomore.
The kids come from so many different backgrounds, and many of
these outstanding students might not be here if it weren’t for the
scholarship program.
How will a Stanford education make a difference in
the lives of scholarship recipients?
Susan: The exposure you get to incredible people who are number
one in their fields motivates all students to go further in pursuing
Bill: Some of the best professors are teaching the undergrads,
encouraging them and bringing out the best in them. One
of my son’s professors urged him to consider publishing
a paper he did. A classmate was able to do research after
her freshman year. It’s an amazing place.
Susan, ’78, and
William Oberndorf, MBA ’78
(Parents ’12)
PHOTO: Steve Castillo
Bill: Scholarships open the door to Stanford
for many students. But it’s a two-way street:
These students make unique contributions
to the community, so the university as a
whole also gains.
Susan: There’s real value to the donor as well.
You have an opportunity to get to know these
kids, through their letters and in person. It’s
a chance to enhance another person’s life, and
you can actually see the difference that makes.
I’d like people to know just how gratifying that
really is.
Supporting Cardinal Crew
As Alfred Osborne, Jr., ’67, MA ’71, MBA ’71, PhD ’74,
celebrated his 40th reunion, he began thinking of the best way to
make a difference at the university that had given him so much.
He knew firsthand the importance of making a place like Stanford
accessible to those who might not otherwise have the economic
wherewithal to attend. An immigrant from Panama, Osborne
received a scholarship as an undergraduate at Stanford. Today, he
is senior associate dean and a professor at the UCLA Anderson
School of Management.
“The support I received had a tremendous impact on my life,
enabling me to focus on my studies and benefit from participation
in extracurricular activities,” he says. By endowing a scholarship,
Osborne realized he could provide someone else the same
opportunities he had been given as a student. The only question
then was what area of the university he wanted to support.
While contemplating the possibilities, Osborne and his wife,
Nancy Rahnasto Osborne, a Harvard and UCLA Anderson School
of Management graduate, reflected on their son’s experience on
the Stanford rowing team. When Alex, ’09, came to Stanford,
he had never before been in a boat; today, he is a member of the
U.S. national team and an Olympic hopeful. Witnessing that
transformation certainly gave the Osbornes a deeper appreciation
for the sport. But they also realized that being part of the team
enabled Alex to develop not just as an athlete, but also as a person.
Most importantly, it instilled in him a sense of determination
and discipline that has given him a head start at future success.
“I would guess that anyone looking back on Alex’s life in the
future will see that its course got set with Stanford Rowing,” says
Nancy. “Whatever he ends up doing, or wherever he goes, his
future successes will carry the values learned from the lesson of daily
training, the extreme physical and mental testing of racing, and the
boat itself where your success is determined by how well you work
together.”
As a member of the Stanford Athletic Board, Alfred Osborne
recognizes that athletic scholarships are a powerful recruiting tool
that allows Stanford to compete at the highest levels of collegiate
sports. In fact, more than 500 student-athletes on 35 varsity teams
benefit from athletic scholarship support. As a result of his own
experience and that of their son, Alfred and Nancy Osborne decided
to endow the Osborne Family Athletic Scholarship for the Stanford
rowing team.
“Universities are where young people get a chance to develop, test
limits, and form perspectives in life; a commitment to making these
experiences available to as many as possible is what my wife and I
support,” says Osborne. n
Athletic scholarship donors Alfred Osborne, Jr., ’67, MA ’71,
MBA ’71, PhD ’74, and Nancy Rahnasto Osborne
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Osbornes
Named the Pac-10 Men’s Rowing Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2009, Coach Craig Amerkhanian just
completed his 10th season as director of rowing and men’s head coach. He understands the impact of
scholarships in his sport:
“Our Stanford men’s team has 3.5 scholarships, which are essential for us to remain a national
contender. The two teams that defeated us last year, Washington and Cal, have 18 and 12
scholarships respectively. In contrast, our women have 15 scholarships, which helped propel them to
the national championship in 2009.
“Al and Nancy represent much more to Stanford Rowing than their generous scholarship gift. They
support the culture that is Stanford University and athletics. Both recognize the positive impact of sports on
campus while pursuing academic excellence. ”
Cardinal Men’s Rowing Coach
Craig Amerkhanian
PHOTO: Stanford Athletics
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Seeking Solutions
…to challenges in human
health, the environment
and sustainability,
international affairs,
and other areas through
multidisciplinary research
across the university
Selected Remaining Priorities:
people
• Endowed faculty support, including provostial chairs, directorships, professorships, and senior fellowships in the initiatives on human health, the environment and sustainability, and international affairs
• Endowed graduate fellowships, including Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowships, Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources fellowships, and various school-based fellowships
programs
• Support for Bio-X NeuroVentures, the Woods Institute for the Environment, the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, the Division of International Comparative and Area Studies, and the Center on Longevity
• Funding to seed new ideas through the Bio-X Interdisciplinary Initiatives, Environmental Venture Projects, and Innovation
in International Studies grantmaking programs
facilities
• Key gifts to complete the funding for buildings in the Science and Engineering Quad: the Bioengineering and Chemical
Engineering Building and the Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering
Goli Taraghi
Goli Taraghi (pictured above
with Abbas Milani, the Hamid
and Christina Moghadam
Director of Iranian Studies at
Stanford) is one of Iran’s most
prominent women writers.
Now, thanks to Bita Daryabari’s
endowment, she is also
Stanford’s visiting lecturer for
the Iranian Studies Program.
Her course, Women in Modern
Iranian Literature, explores
archetypes of women in poetry
and fiction. Born and raised
in Tehran before the Iranian
Revolution, Taraghi studied
philosophy in the United States
and began her career with
a collection of short stories
titled I Am Che Guevara. She
has since authored Winter
Sleep, Scattered Memories,
The House of Shemiran, and
The Three Maids. Known as a
master storyteller, Taraghi was
awarded Stanford’s Bita Prize
for Literature in 2009.
For more information about
programs sponsored by Iranian
Studies at Stanford, please visit
http://iranian-studies.stanford.edu
PHOTO: Tatiana Deogirikar
A Passion for Persian Culture: Gifts Support Iranian Studies
Bita Daryabari is passionate about Persian culture. Her goal is to
share this enthusiasm with the Stanford community—and, by
extension, with all Americans. “I want to expose Americans to
the poetry and arts of Iran, to educate the American public about
what Iran is all about—its literature and history,” she explains.
This effort is especially important in light of current events.
“Given the high level of political tension between the two
countries today and the critical need to avoid violent conflict, I
thought this was a great time to foster more understanding about
the other side of Iran,” says Daryabari.
The Bay Area philanthropist has now provided a generous
$5 million in gifts to further the study of Persian language and
literature at Stanford. When combined with matching funds
from the Hewlett Foundation, Daryabari’s support adds up
to a total of $6.5 million in endowment, lending significant
momentum to the university’s Iranian Studies Program.
Daryabari’s first commitment to the program, made in
2007, set up an endowment to fund courses, lectures, and
conferences on Persian art and literature. She also created the
Bita Prize for Literature, an annual award given to recognize
an Iranian artist or writer who has achieved excellence in his
or her field. Iranian novelist Goli Taraghi (see sidebar) and
poet Simin Behbahani have both been honored. This gift also
funds a visiting professorship, enabling renowned artists,
writers, and scholars from Iran to teach at Stanford.
The School of Humanities and Sciences established the Hamid
and Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies in
2006 with endowed support from university trustee Hamid
Moghadam, MBA ’80, and his wife, Christina, ’78.
Daryabari’s family roots are steeped in Persian language and
literature. A relative authored the first Farsi dictionary 80 years
ago. And her great-grandfather, who served in Iran’s congress,
wrote some of the country’s first laws “in his hand, adding poetry
and literature to them,” she explains.
In addition to her interest in Persian culture, Daryabari feels
particularly strongly about supporting modern Iranian women’s
role in the arts. “There are many educated Iranian women who
sacrifice their lives to have a role, to speak. I’d like to expose more
of them to an American audience,” she says.
As the Benefactor goes to press, Milani is planning a June
event bringing together visiting lecturer Taraghi with
Iranian writer Shahrnush Parsipur and artist and
filmmaker Shirin Neshat to discuss Neshat’s new
feature film based on Parsipur’s book, Women Without
Men, a collection of short stories. “We will have three
of Iran’s top women artists of this generation here—
a unique occasion,” says Milani. “The fact that we
have the funds to do this is the direct result of
Bita’s generosity.” n
Last fall, she expanded her investment in the program
by endowing the Bita Daryabari Professorship in
Persian Studies, to be held by a teacher and scholar
with expertise in Persian language and literature.
“There has been a gaping lacuna in Iranian studies,
and adding a versatile younger scholar will help us
in terms of creating a new program and attracting
more undergraduate and graduate students,”
says Abbas Milani, the Hamid and Christina
Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at
Stanford. Daryabari’s gift will also fund a second
visiting lectureship, he adds, vital for bringing
fresh Iran scholarship to campus.
Bita Daryabari has set up an
endowment at Stanford to further
the study of Persian language and
literature. She has also established
her own foundation, Unique Zan,
focusing on women’s education in
the Middle East.
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Bita Daryabari
s e e k i n g
s o l u t i o n s
Honoring Excellence
Every year, across schools, departments, centers, and institutes, Stanford alumni devote their time, talent,
and energy to further the mission of the university. And each spring, the university recognizes the invaluable
contributions of its most exceptional volunteers in a distinguished awards ceremony on campus. The Gold
Spike, Stanford Medal, Governors’ Award, and Award of Merit are presented by Stanford Associates, an
honorary organization of 1,800 top volunteers. This year’s winners are profiled and listed below.
The Governors’ Award
The Governors’ Award, recognizing
alumni for their exemplary service over a
period of several years, was awarded to:
Fred William Alvarez, ’72, JD ’75
Martin Anderson, ’46, LLB ’49
Paul V. Barber, ’84
Thomas Davies Barrow, PhD ’53
Ann O. Baskins, ’77
Roberta Bowman Denning, ’75,
MBA ’78
John D. Goldman, MBA ’75
Grace M. Hoagland, ’59
Laurance R. Hoagland, Jr., ’58
James Patrick King, ’68, MBA ’77
Risa Shimoda, ’77
William E. Stone, ’67, MBA ’69
Tony Thompson, ’55
Dave Velasquez, ’71, MBA ’73
The Award of Merit
Stanford Medal winners Pam Rymer, LLB ’64; Jim Ukropina, ’59, MBA ’61; and Linda Hawes Clever, ’61, MD ’65. PHOTO: Steve Castillo
University Celebrates Top Volunteers
The Gold Spike Award, symbolizing foresight, perseverance,
and accomplishment, is the university’s highest annual
volunteer award. This year’s recipients are Walter B.
Hewlett, MS ’68, MS ’73, DMA ’80, and Susan Packard
Orr, ’68, MBA ’70.
Walter Hewlett has been extolled for asking tough questions
and challenging conventional wisdom to the benefit of the
university. His volunteer service and philanthropy over many
decades have been felt across campus, most notably in the
liberal arts.
In 1984, Hewlett founded the Center for Computer Assisted
Research in the Humanities, where he currently serves
as director and consulting professor. As a member of the
School of Humanities and Sciences Council since 1990, he
has advised a succession of the school’s deans and played
a key role in shepherding the William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation’s $400 million gift to Stanford in 2001, in honor
of his father, William R. Hewlett, ’34. That gift has helped
double the school’s endowment over the past eight years and
has built enduring support for undergraduate education.
Hewlett served on the university’s Board of Trustees from
2003 to 2008 and on the Stanford Libraries Advisory
Council for many years, including a term as chair. Today, he
is a member of the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy
Research Advisory Board and The Stanford Challenge
Leadership Council.
Susan Packard Orr has touched many corners of the
university through her volunteerism, innovative thinking,
enthusiastic leadership, and philanthropy. No place on
campus has benefited more from her involvement than the
Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital (LPCH).
Orr played a major role in helping LPCH become one of the
top pediatric hospitals in the nation over the last 15 years.
She served on the hospital’s Board of Directors and the board
of the independent Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s
Health, which she helped to found and chairs this year.
She is also currently co-chair of the Breaking New Ground
Campaign for LPCH and the School of Medicine pediatric
programs. She serves on the Stanford Committee for Hospital
Renewal, which is overseeing the expansion of both Packard
and Stanford hospitals, and is a member of The Stanford
Challenge Steering Committee.
Orr served on Stanford’s Board of Trustees from 1998 to
2008 and on the boards of the John W. Gardner Center, the
Bing Overseas Studies Program, and the Woods Institute for
the Environment.
The Stanford Medal, which recognizes alumni leaders
who have provided decades of distinguished service to the
university, was presented to Linda Hawes Clever, ’61, MD
’65; Pam Rymer, LLB ’64; and Jim Ukropina, ’59, MBA ’61.
Their impressive records of volunteer service each include a
decade or more as a university trustee. In addition:
Linda Hawes Clever has served on the Board of Directors
of the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. She received the
Dinkelspiel Award for Outstanding Service to Undergraduate
Education as a student and the Medical Center Alumni
Association’s J. E. Wallace Sterling Lifetime Achievement
Award in 2007. Clever was recently named associate dean
for alumni affairs at the Stanford School of Medicine.
The Honorable Pam Rymer has served Stanford Law School
as chair of the Board of Visitors, on the Dean’s Strategic
Council, and as a perennial reunion volunteer. She also
served on the board of the university’s Haas Center for
Public Service and recently chaired the Stanford Associates
Board of Governors. She is currently a member of the
Advisory Council for the Bill Lane Center for the American
West and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors.
Jim Ukropina was a member of the Stanford Athletics Board
for three terms, during which time he became involved
with the design of the new football stadium. He chaired
the Presidential Search Committee that
resulted in the selection of John
Hennessy as Stanford’s 10th
president and has also served
on the Graduate School of
Business Advisory Council and
as president of the school’s Los
Angeles alumni chapter. n
Gold Spike winners Susan
Packard Orr, ’68, MBA
’70, and Walter Hewlett,
MS ’68, MS ’73, DMA ’80
PHOTO: Steve Castillo
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The Award of Merit, honoring individuals
and groups for a single and significant
volunteer achievement, was presented to:
Individuals
Ruby Lim Barcklay, ’87
George M. Beardsley, ’59
Jesus Beltran, ’00
Donna Booher, ’86, MA ’87
Lorie Ann Boyd, ’94
Samuel Jack Brenner, ’49
Patrick DeYoung, ’50
Michael Q. Eagan, JD ’74
Shannon M. Eagan, JD ’00
Sonia Fernandez, MBA ’99
David Hamamoto, ’81
Marty Hamamoto
Terrence O. Hughes, JD ’84
John W. Jarve, MBA ’83
James A. C. Kennedy III, MBA ’78
Foster T. Kinney, MBA ’58
Thomas E. Kirkbride
Rick Kracoff, JD ’84
Marilyn Anderson Lindell, ’69
Peter Ma, MS ’82
Ralph Thrane, MBA ’58
Laurie J. Weisberg, MD ’79
Roy B. Woolsey, ’66, MS ’67, PhD ’70
Groups
Class of ’59 Reunion and
Campaign Leadership
Class of ’79 Campaign Special
Gifts Chairs
Class of ’84 Campaign Chairs
The awards spotlighted on this page
are presented by Stanford Associates,
an honorary organization of more
than 1,800 top alumni
volunteers. For more
information, please
visit: stanfordalumni.
org/volunteer/assoc/
awards/home.html.
Educating Leaders
…in the arts, K–12
education, and
both graduate and
undergraduate
education
Selected Remaining Priorities:
people
• Endowed faculty support in the arts and K–12 education, including provostial and departmental professorships
• Endowed graduate fellowships, including Stanford Interdisciplinary Graduate Fellowships and school-based fellowships in
the arts and K–12 education
• Endowed need-based and athletic undergraduate scholarships
facilities
• Key gifts to complete the funding for the Burton and Deedee McMurtry Art Building, the Jen-Hsun Huang Engineering Center,
the Knight Management Center, and the William H. Neukom Building at Stanford Law School
Dixie and Richard Grossman
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Grossmans
Reunion Gifts Focus on University Priorities
Blake Grossman, ’84, MA ’86, and Thomas Nelson, ’84, first met
as undergraduates through the Blyth Fund, a student investment
club. They also took classes together. And when it came time for
their 25th reunion, the two classmates joined forces again—to
honor what Stanford has meant to them.
Grossman and Nelson decided to step forward as reunion leaders.
Each volunteered to co-chair the class campaign alongside
classmates John Kleinheinz and Susan Rasinski McCaw. And
though the motivations behind their choices differ, they each
settled on directing their support to the same three university
priorities: undergraduate scholarships, Stanford Interdisciplinary
Graduate Fellowships (SIGFs), and The Stanford Fund.
Nelson remembered hearing President Hennessy talk about
the critical need for scholarships and fellowships. “I learned
from my father-in-law, a former University of North Carolina
president, how valuable it is to support a university’s highest
priorities,” he explains.
Indeed, undergraduate financial aid resources are under
considerable strain as the economic recession takes its toll on
families and the university’s endowment.
Nelson decided to create an expendable
scholarship fund because he “wanted
to make sure that the students could
realize the benefits of it as quickly
as possible, especially during these
tougher economic times.” In
contrast, Grossman set up
an endowed fund, providing
a complementary source
of enduring scholarship
support.
Thomas Nelson, ’84 (seated right),
is chairman, president, and CEO
of building products manufacturer
National Gypsum Company in
Charlotte, North Carolina. Blake
Grossman, ’84, MA ’86 (far right),
is vice chairman of investment
management company BlackRock,
based in San Francisco.
Fellowships are similarly
a much-needed source
of financial aid for
Stanford’s graduate
students, who play a
PHOTOS: Courtesy of T. Nelson and BlackRock Inc.
E d u c a t i n g
L e a d e r s
central role in teaching and research across the university.
Grossman says Stanford’s interdisciplinary focus resonated directly
with him. “Professionally, I look to draw ideas and talent from
the behavioral sciences, math, computer science, and physics
to develop models of how financial markets operate,” he says.
“I believe Stanford’s efforts to more fully integrate different
disciplines in teaching and research is a vital step forward.”
Creating an SIGF, which provides three years of funding for
doctoral students pursuing research questions that cross academic
boundaries, seemed an ideal way to advance such work.
Both his SIGF and scholarship are named for his parents, Dixie
and Richard Grossman (pictured top left). “They were completely,
unconditionally supportive of what I wanted to do academically
and made real financial sacrifices to enable that,” Grossman recalls.
The Grossmans, who reside in the Los Angeles area, were “very
touched and surprised” by the honor.
In addition, Grossman was motivated by how much Stanford
relies on its donors for support: “Working on the reunion
campaign helped me appreciate the impact that individual
donations make on the university.”
Nelson’s and Grossman’s commitments also recall their own
positive student experiences. They both agree that their academic
programs served them well. “Stanford gave me such a great start,”
says Nelson. Their gifts to The Stanford Fund will support the
core needs of undergraduate education and provide unrestricted
dollars for scholarships, academic programs, and student life.
For Grossman and Nelson, working and
giving alongside one another is just like
old times. For the students they help,
it’s also a powerful connection between
the past and the future at Stanford. n
programs
• Support for the Stanford Institute for Creativity and the Arts
• Support for the Center for Education Policy Analysis, the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching, and the Center for
Leadership in Education
• Endowment funding for the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education and support for graduate education
leadership development programs
• Gifts to establish a new Stanford Center in Cape Town through the Bing Overseas Studies Program and support for
the Haas Center for Public Service
ABOVE: Austin in her garden in Washington, D.C.. RIGHT: Portrait of Austin by Paul Rigne Roach, commissioned by Owen Henery and family in celebration of her “exquisite provocative life.”
It hangs in the office of the Honors Program at Howard University. Next to the portrait is the program’s director, Professor Dan Williams. PHOTOS: Courtesy of Owen Henery and Dan Williams
No Easy A’s: Lettie Jane Austin, EdD ’52
For the better part of six decades, students at Howard University
knew there were no “easy A’s” in Lettie Jane Austin’s class. She
pushed her students to work hard and to continually raise their
own expectations of themselves—and no one could have accused
her of failing to practice what she preached. From her childhood
in the segregated schools of Joplin, Missouri, to her last days as
a distinguished professor, she was unyielding in her pursuit of
knowledge and her belief in education’s role in creating a more
just society. Her life’s work continues with a generous bequest to
Stanford in support of graduate fellowships.
Austin joined the faculty at Howard in 1947, shortly after
receiving an MA in English from Kansas State University. After
a few years of teaching, she became one of the first African
Americans to earn a doctoral degree at Stanford’s School of
Education, graduating with an EdD in 1952. Austin next
attended the University of Nottingham in England as a Fulbright
Scholar, completing a master’s degree in Elizabethan literature.
Once back in the United States, she returned to Howard’s
English department, where she became a full professor in 1968.
She continued her own education at Howard as well, earning an
MA in 1964 and a PhD in 1988, both in psychology.
Of course, there was much more to Austin than the letters after
her name, something her friends are quick to point out. She
was a classical pianist, a consultant to educational organizations
around the world, an avid gardener, a prolific author. She was
married to Lewis H. Fenderson, Jr., also an English professor
at Howard, who passed away in 1983. Above all, she was a
devoted teacher, mentor, and inspiration to her students.
“Few understood as well as she the relationship between
education and emancipation,” says Vaughn Rasberry, a
former student of Austin’s who joins Stanford’s faculty this
fall as an assistant professor of English. “She had a flair
for storytelling and performance while demanding
the most exacting standards of critical inquiry and
writing.”
Another former student, Owen Henery,
developed a rich friendship with his
mentor that spanned more than 40
years. “Lettie graced me with her
love of learning and life,” he says.
Through their friendship, Henery
discovered that her wisdom extended
far beyond her fine teaching skills.
“She saw that the ‘big missing’ in
our lives is compassion, and that the
disinvestment in this scarce resource
causes much suffering.”
Austin was still teaching when she
suffered a fatal stroke, just a few
weeks after her 83rd birthday. Her
legacy at Howard persists in the generations of students she
mentored. At Stanford, her legacy includes a generous gift to
future generations: In 2004, she named Stanford the beneficiary
of her retirement account. The gift amounted to more than $1.5
million, enough to create multiple endowed graduate fellowships,
as she’d discussed with Stanford’s Office of Planned Giving when
she notified the university of her intended bequest. Honoring her
wishes, Stanford has established Lettie Jane Austin Fellowships
in the School of Education and in the English department in the
School of Humanities and Sciences.
Austin’s gift completes a circle: As a Stanford student,
she benefited from the Alice J. Rosenberg Fellowship,
established in 1943 through a bequest from a San
Francisco philanthropist. Her bequest also continues
her lifelong effort: The Austin fellowships will be
awarded to graduate students pursuing doctoral degrees
in English and education, with a preference for
African-American students. They will do well
to follow her example, always striving for
more and never expecting any “easy A’s.” n
Lettie Jane Austin, EdD ’52
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Howard University
t h e s t a n f o r d c h a l l e n g e . s t a n f o r d . e d u
Grad Fellowships
a campaign priority
The university seeks to endow
380 new fellowships through
The Stanford Challenge. This
includes school- and departmentbased fellowships, such as
the ones established through
Austin’s bequest, as well as
interdisciplinary fellowships that
help students blend different fields
of study. To date, more than 250
fellowships have been established.
One-to-one matching funds enable
donors to create a $1 million
fellowship fund with a gift of
$500,000 during the campaign.
Sustaining a Foundation of Excellence
Selected Remaining Priorities:
…in core programs and
through annual giving
across the university
people
• Endowed school-based faculty support, including professorships, directorships, and faculty fellows and scholars
• Endowed school-based graduate fellowships
programs
•Annual gifts across the university, including those to school-based annual funds and The Stanford Fund for Undergraduate Education, to support financial aid, the academic experience, and student programs
•Program endowment for the law school’s Rubin Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Alison and David Heyman met at Stanford and were married two years after graduation. PHOTOS: Courtesy of the Heymans
Young Alums Help Stanford Keep Its Promise
Alison and David Heyman, both Class of 2007, were reluctant
to apply to Stanford—at least at first. Although Alison and
her older brother were born at Stanford Hospital, she didn’t
want to follow in his footsteps to the Farm. David was from
Chicago, and going west for college wasn’t really on his mind.
But they each visited the campus during high school. Both fell
for Stanford, and later, each other. Two years after graduating,
they married, and in 2010 they pledged their first gift to the
university, in support of The Stanford Fund. Stanford Benefactor
asked the Heymans to reflect on their experiences as students
and what inspired them to give.
It wasn’t love at first sight
Alison: It’s such a cheesy story, it’s such a Stanford story. The
fall of freshman year we both took The Self, the Sacred, and the
Human Good. Our first meeting was in IHUM (Introduction to
the Humanities), isn’t that romantic?
David: I definitely did not know I was sitting in class with my
future wife. Let’s just say it’s worked out pretty well.
What Stanford did for them
Alison (a career development specialist at Google): The
more time that I spend in the real world, the more I come to
appreciate what Stanford was and how much it shaped me. I
think of conversations at the dinner table. People don’t just ‘yes’
you. You have real debate. It’s so rare, and it’s such a gift that we
got for four years.
Why they gave
Alison: We both come from families who have strong legacies
of supporting organizations and causes they believe in. This is
an interesting time in the country and in the world. There are
so many worthy causes, so many things that seem so urgently
to need our attention. But when you look at the big picture,
Stanford is not just a place that gives students great experiences,
it’s also a place that helps nurture the people who are going to go
out and solve the huge problems we are facing.
David: This is really our first major charitable contribution as a
couple, and it’s important to us to continue to support Stanford
going forward. We believe so much in the school, what it stands
for, and the types of people that it puts out into the world. It’s
our community. It helped us become who we are.
Why supporting undergraduate financial aid is
so important
David: So many students receive scholarship support. The
need is there. While bricks and mortar are a great donation and
help in the long run, the immediate need is getting kids in the
classroom who couldn’t otherwise afford it.
Alison: I am really proud of the recent commitment that Stanford
made to financial aid. This is a very difficult time in the economy
to sustain that. Honestly, when that announcement was made I was
really proud to be part of the Stanford community. We wanted to
help the university keep that promise. n
David (an analyst for JP Morgan Chase): To this
day, I’m still extremely close with people who
lived in my freshman dorm. I was an economics
major with a minor in Chinese language. The
thing that really stood out for me was the
ability to take classes outside my major and
minor. I had the opportunity to get a flavor
of all Stanford had to offer.
Alison and David Heyman, members of
the Class of 2007, made their first joint
gift to The Stanford Fund this year, a
commitment that qualifies them for
membership in the Leadership
Circle and recognition at the
President’s Fund–level
for young alums.
PHOTO: Courtesy of the Heymans
s u s t a i n i n g
a
f o u n d a t i o n
o f
e x c e l l e n c e
Printed on 100% post-consumer fiber FSC certified, with vegetable-based inks NLBEN29K0610
Stanford University
Office of Development
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center
326 Galvez Street
Stanford, California 94305-6105
Editor-in-Chief: Rebecca Smith Vogel
Executive Editor: Monique Johnson
Contributing Editor: Derek Rosenfield
Assistant Editor: Barbara Bigelow Rogers
Additional Writing: Matt Campbell, Maggie Diamond, Meredith Kunz,
Kristen Munson
Design: Christine Field
What’s Your
In the May issue of Stanford
magazine, President Hennessy invited
Stanford financial aid recipients to
share their stories. Via Facebook and
e-mail, alumni, students, and parents
have responded with inspiring tales of
how scholarships changed their lives.
Here are a few excerpts to savor:
What’s your story? If you, or your son
or daughter, received financial aid
from Stanford, what would you want
to tell those who helped make your
Stanford experience possible?
Post your message to:
facebook.stanford.edu/scholarshipstories
or e-mail yourstory@stanford.edu.
N o n p ro f it O r g a n iz at io n
U . S . P o s tag e Pa id
Pa l o Alto, CA
P e r m it N o. 2 8
© 2010 by the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior
University. Stanford Benefactor is a publication of the Office
of Development. Reproduction in whole or in part, without
permission of the publisher, is prohibited. Please direct inquiries
to stanfordbenefactor@stanford.edu or 650.724.7604.
tory?