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Annenberg
Foundation's $200 Million for USC and Penn's Annenberg Schools
The
Annenberg Foundation announced last Thursday endowments for the
Annenberg Schools at the University
of Pennsylvania and the University
of Southern California totaling $200,000,000. One hundred million
dollars will be committed to each of the two universities. Established
in 1989, The Annenberg Foundation is the successor corporation to
the Annenberg School for Communication founded in 1958 by the Hon.
Walter H. Annenberg, H '66. These endowments augment the $120 million
grants awarded to each institution in 1993.
In
a jointly issued statement, Foundation president the Hon. Leonore
Annenberg, H '85 and Foundation vice president Wallis Annenberg
stated, "Walter Annenberg founded the schools out of a conviction
that scholars and students could harness communication in service
of society. Since the creation of the School at Penn in 1958 and
at USC in 1971, graduates and faculty have identified ways to use
communication to improve children's television programming, protect
privacy from technological trespass, improve the quality of political
discourse and news, establish standards of quality in online journalism,
and minimize teen smoking, suicide, illegal drug use, and risky
sexual behavior. This gift will ensure that the important work of
the schools will continue into the next century and beyond."
Penn
President Judith Rodin and USC President Steven B. Sample hailed
the generosity and vision of the Annenberg family and the Foundation.
"The Annenbergs, through their unparalleled generosity to Penn
and other educational institutions, have affirmed again and again
the critical role that education plays in people's life opportunities.
This extraordinary gift from The Annenberg Foundation ensures that
Penn's Annenberg School for Communication will enhance its
capacity to create the most productive future generations of communications
scholars, researchers and policy makers," said President Rodin.
"As our world grows increasingly complex, and information is
disseminated with breathtaking speed, the role of communications
research and practice becomes ever more important. The significant
efforts already underway at Penn's Annenberg School will help
us better understand and effectively deal with the critical issues
of the day."
President
Sample said, "The Annenberg family is unrivaled in its support
of education in America, with a special vision and passion for the
study of communications. Their ongoing support of the USC Annenberg
School for Communication ensures that our faculty and students are
engaged in groundbreaking research and practice in communications
and journalism and that we attain the highest standards of professionalism
and ethics in those fields. This landmark gift is a strong signal
of support for USC and for the city of Los Angeles, which is a world
center of the communications industry and the capital city of the
Pacific Rim."
At
Penn, the first year's revenue from the new $100 million endowment
will be used for student scholarships, faculty chairs, and refurbishing
of classrooms.
At
USC, the revenue will be used for new initiatives relating to civic
engagement, including new faculty appointments, a program focusing
on innovation and excellence in local broadcast news, and new student
scholarships.
The
Hon.Walter H. Annenberg was named Ambassador to the Court of St.
James's in 1969 and served in Great Britain until October 30,
1974. He was president of Triangle Publications, publisher of The
Philadelphia Inquirer and founded TV Guide and Seventeen
magazine. His wife, the Hon. Leonore Annenberg, served as U.S.
Chief of Protocol, with the rank of Ambassador, from 1981-1982.
They are both emeritus trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.
They are the first holders--in the history of Penn--of both
the President's Medal (Almanac September 27, 1994) and
honorary degrees from Penn.
Mr.
Annenberg's daughter Wallis, who is a long-time trustee of
USC, directs the Los Angeles office of the Annenberg Foundation.
The
Annenberg Foundation "exists to advance the public well-being
through improved communication." As the principal means of
achieving this goal, the Foundation encourages the development of
more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge.
Almanac, Vol. 49, No. 5, September 24, 2002
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ISSUE
HIGHLIGHTS:
Tuesday,
September 24, 2002
Volume 49 Number 5
www.upenn.edu/almanac/
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