One Columbia

This week, Sydney Maisel reports that Paul Brooke ’67CC has given $1 million to endow the Paul Brooke Program Chair for Literature Humanities as part of the College’s Core to Commencement Campaign.

Maisel, who oversees class giving for Columbia College classes of 1967 and prior, took note of Brooke. Without solicitation, he had given $10,000 annually for four years and, before that, $5,000 a year since 2008, but had not been in touch with the University in quite some time. Maisel decided to visit Brooke, a partner at the private equity firm venBio, which invests in the life sciences, medicine, and technology. She gave him information on the Core to Commencement Campaign, and it wasn’t long before he committed to this $1 million endowment gift.

“Paul’s generosity proves that alumni, no matter their level of engagement, can find a deep connection with certain fundraising initiatives that spark their interest,” said Maisel, the College’s assistant director for class giving who also works on leadership gifts. “Presenting Core to Commencement to Paul was a ‘perfect storm’ — he had not been involved with the College previously, and his recent professional success allowed him to start thinking differently about philanthropy. Like so many other College alumni, his love for the Core was the driving force behind this gift.”

Core to Commencement set a goal of endowing four program chairs: Contemporary Civilization; Literature Humanities; Music Humanities; and Art Humanities. Each fund — two out of four are now endowed — provides additional salary and programmatic support for the program chair. The Paul Brooke Program Chair for Literature Humanities will serve a three-year term and act as the intellectual and pedagogical leader for the course.

This week, Noelle Bannister reports that David ’72GSAS and Marina Ottaway ’74GSAS have pledged $200,000 to support fellowships for students at the School of International and Public Affairs.

This gift will be counted as part of SIPA’s 70 by 70 Fellowship Campaign to increase the recruitment and retention of top students from around the world, specifically by creating 70 new fellowships by the school’s 70th anniversary in 2017.

The Ottaways have long supported students and programs at Columbia, with a focus on promoting diversity among the student body. Prior to this pledge, the couple established three fellowships that support graduate students at SIPA and the school’s International Fellows Program.

“We are grateful that David and Marina continue to invest in SIPA’s students,” said Bannister, the school’s director of development. “This support helps SIPA continue to maintain its vibrant international community.”

This week, Mary Yeotsas Van de Graaf reports that Cori Flam Meltzer ’95LAW and Brad Meltzer ’96LAW have pledged $150,000 to endow a need-based scholarship for Columbia Law School students in honor of Cori’s 20th reunion.

Cori, who leads CFM Mediation in Florida, and Brad, a novelist, met as law students and have remained closely tied to Columbia Law School. They’ve routinely supported the annual fund, and Cori is the co-chair of her 20th reunion this year. They created this endowed scholarship to set up permanent support for law students.

Brad, who received a scholarship when he attended Columbia, credits the Law School with jumpstarting his writing career. He has authored nine best-selling thrillers and has written non-fiction, comics, and children’s books. He hosts Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History on H2.

“This endowed scholarship allows the Law School to promise the highest quality legal education to extraordinary students, regardless of their financial situation,” said Yeotsas Van de Graaf, the Law School’s assistant director for reunions. “Need-based aid is always a priority at the Law School, and we are deeply grateful to the Meltzers for their support.”