COVER STORY
Campaign news
10-year Engaged Cornell initiative launched
Engaged Cornell – a $150 million initiative – was launched on campus in October thanks to a $50 million gift from the Einhorn Family Charitable Trust. The initiative's programs will empower Cornell students to become active citizens and to tackle critical challenges through participation in hands-on, practical learning experiences in communities at home and around the world.
David Einhorn and Cheryl Strauss Einhorn, both members of Cornell Class of 1991, head the trust.
David and Cheryl Einhorn. See larger image
"David and I are thrilled to partner with Cornell to educate and empower faculty and students to have important learning opportunities beyond the classroom," said Cheryl Einhorn, a journalist and adjunct faculty member at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Her husband, David Einhorn, founder and president of Greenlight Capital, added: "Engaged Cornell will institutionalize public service as a cornerstone of every Cornellian's educational experience, a critical step toward recognizing that until we have the skills to work together, we won't be able to effectively tackle the world's greatest challenges."
Judith Appleton, Cornell's vice provost responsible for land-grant affairs, will lead the Engaged Cornell initiative. Engaged Cornell will administer competitive grants at the department level, promote the creation of introductory and advanced courses, and support a leadership program open to all students.
"Public engagement has been described as integral to Cornell, but we can't take it for granted as a birthright," said Robert S. Harrison '76, chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees and CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative. "The Einhorn Family Charitable Trust has made an incredible investment toward this aspiration, and I am confident that the university's many champions will meet the challenge of raising $100 million in additional philanthropy to empower Engaged Cornell fully."
Goal for 'Cornell Now' campaign increases to $5.75 billionPresident David Skorton announced the new goal – $5.75 billion – during his State of the University address Oct. 17.
"Thanks to you and other Cornellians," he said to the assembled trustees, council members, and other members of the Cornell community, "our total giving continues to rise above the $4.75 billion goal we surpassed last summer and separately the $600 million raised so far for Cornell Tech."
Skorton said that funds raised toward the new goal will support the Ithaca campus and Weill Cornell Medical College as well as Cornell Tech, which previously was not included in the "Cornell Now" campaign.
"We have momentum," said Stephen Ashley '62, "Cornell Now" campaign co-chair. "We have the significance of the sesquicentennial and the excitement of a future that includes Cornell Tech as an integral part of the university."
The "Cornell Now" campaign now unifies Ithaca, Cornell Tech and Weill Cornell Medical College to further student aid, research, faculty and facilities priorities.
Robert Appel '53, co-chair of Weill's current $300 million campaign, remarked that the Weill campaign goals reflect the overall vision of Cornell University: faculty recruitment, enhanced curriculum, accelerated research and, ultimately, changed lives.
Cornell alumni, parents and friends have been incredibly generous throughout "Cornell Now," said campaign co-chair Andrew Tisch '71. "The additional funds will further the progress we have made together toward achieving the things we want most as a university."
During his address, Skorton promised that he will do all he can to advance Cornell toward this ambitious new $5.75 billion goal before December 2015: "We're going to blow past that," he said during his address, "and we're going to do it sooner."
– Kate Klein