The Atlantic Philanthropies Support Cornell University’s Applied Sciences NYC Initiative Through Significant Grant
Resource type: News
The Atlantic Philanthropies |
The Atlantic Philanthropies are pleased to announce a grant totaling $350 million to Cornell University to support the Cornell University/Technion-Israel Institute of Technology’s consortium for the Applied Sciences NYC initiative. The consortium’s ground-breaking partnership with the City of New York seeks to build what will ultimately be a 2 million square foot applied science and engineering campus on Roosevelt Island in New York City.
The gift will be made as part of Atlantic’s longstanding Founding Chairman program, a series of grants proposed by Atlantic’s founder Charles F. Feeney. “This is a once in a generation opportunity for Cornell University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, together with the City of New York, to create economic and educational opportunity on a transformational scale,” Mr. Feeney said.
Through The Atlantic Philanthropies, a limited life foundation, Mr. Feeney has a long history of supporting transformational higher education and medical research projects all over the world, including the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (Ireland); The University of California San Francisco Medical Center (United States); University of the Western Cape (South Africa); research institutions in Australia; and significant investments to strengthen Vietnam’s health care infrastructure. Atlantic, through the Founding Chairman’s program initiatives, has also been a long-time donor to Cornell University. The Applied Sciences NYC grant complements Atlantic’s broader efforts to create opportunities and improve lives in the regions in which it works.
Atlantic’s President and CEO, Christopher G. Oechsli, said: “This grant commitment is squarely rooted in the best traditions of Atlantic’s support for bold investments in health, science and education at select institutions.” Oechsli added, “Not only is this a game-changing investment in higher education, the Applied Sciences NYC initiative will create jobs, benefit thousands of K-12 students and further bolster Atlantic’s programs to improve the lives of the disadvantaged and vulnerable.”
For further information on the project, please see:
- Cornell University’s Press Release:
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Dec11/NYCrelease.html
- Atlantic Founding Chairman’s Program, “Stories of Impact” http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/stories-impact
In the Media
- Cornell Alumnus Is Behind $350 Million Gift to Build Science School in City, The New York Times, 19 December 2011
- Donor Steps Forward, Wall Street Journal, 20 December 2011
- Cornell’s New York City Bid Got Help From Low-Key Billionaire, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 20 December 2011
The Atlantic Philanthropies are dedicated to bringing about lasting changes in the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people. Atlantic makes grants through its four programme areas – Ageing, Children & Youth, Population Health, and Reconciliation & Human Rights – and through Founding Chairman grants. Programmes funded by Atlantic operate in Australia, Bermuda, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United States and Viet Nam.