May 22, 2007 - The Harold Pratt House

The City University of New York has passed the $1 billion mark in its "Invest in CUNY, Invest in New York" fundraising campaign four years ahead of schedule, Chancellor Matthew Goldstein recently announced at the University's second annual "Foundation Summit."

Chancellor Goldstein and CUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Benno Schmidt convened the summit to celebrate the $1 billion milestone, to acknowledge other key gifts and other fundraising accomplishments and encourage and expand the University's efforts in seeking philanthropic support.

The Foundation Summit is a gathering of College Presidents and representatives of the twenty-one Foundations that support the CUNY Colleges in their fund-raising efforts.

"This $1 billion milestone is extraordinary accomplishment and a resounding affirmation from the philanthropic community of the University's continuing renaissance," the Chancellor Goldstein said. He reminded the volunteers and staffers at the Foundation Summit that the "Invest in CUNY" campaign is an ongoing one, intended to raise $1.2 billion from private sources by the end of fiscal year 2012, and another $1.4 billion in capital funds from public sources.

The largest single gift received to date--more $30 million—was donated by City College graduate William E. Macaulay to provide a permanent home for the William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY.

Other top benefactors to University were in attendance at the May 22nd event as Foundation Summit honored guests. They included Harriet Kupferberg, who serves on the Queensborough Community College's foundation. Kupferberg stands out among national donors to community colleges in the United States by having given $1 million to Queensborough in support of the Holocaust Resource Center that bears her name .

The Chancellor also introduced a diverse group of students who have benefited from scholarships and other resources that are funded through private giving. These included Morris Sheriff, a Borough of Manhattan Community College honors student who sought refuge in this country after losing his father and brother to fighting in Liberia, and David Bauer, a Hunter High School student who won Intel Science Award two years ago and passed up invitations to Ivy League colleges and top tier research institutions to study at the William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY on the City College campus.

Guests were also treated to a poetry reading by Billy Collins, CUNY's own United States Poet Laureate emeritus, who is also a longtime professor at Lehman College in the Bronx.

The foundations, known by various names at the different campuses, are the fundraising arms of the colleges, and The University, through events like the Foundation Summit, is trying to unite them in their efforts and offer support.

Carrying out the University-wide effort is Carlos Flynn, University Dean for Institutional Advancement. "We wanted to highlight the critical role that our foundations play in helping our college presidents raise money to continue their important work – strengthening their programs and providing scholarships for those in need," Flynn said.

Photo Summary

Aramina Ferrer, Lehman College Foundation	Billy Collins, Former Poet Laureate of the United States, Distinguished Professor of English, Lehman College
Eduardo Marti, President, Queensborough Community College Peter Campanella, Treasurer, Queensborough Community College Fund	Amie James, The Graduate Center Foundation William Kelly, President, The Graduate Center Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor of the City University of New York
University Scholars Ethan Frisch, Ryan Merola and David Bauer with Billy Collins	Harriet Kupferberg, Queensborough Community College Fund Eduardo Marti, President, Queensborough Community College
Morris Sherriff, Borough of Manhattan Community College	Susie Peterson Case, Hunter College Foundation Jennifer Raab, President, Hunter College University Scholars Ankur Mangalagiri Nanda and Kaitlyn Meehan