“During this campaign we have nearly quintupled our endowment, from $440 million in 1990 to just under $2.2 billion in 2000. A good part of that growth has been due to shrewd investing in an unprecedented bull market, but much of it can be attributed to new donations. In the past seven years, we have received three gifts of more than $100 million each from the Annenbergs, Alfred Mann and the Keck Foundation, which in and of itself has set a new record in American higher education.”
– Steven B. Sample, State of the University Address, Feb. 27, 2001
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About Steven B. Sample
Star pitcher Seth Etherton in 1998. |
“The university has more than doubled its rate of annual alumni giving, up from 11 percent to 27 percent.”
– Steven B. Sample, State of the University Address, February 27, 2001
Annenberg Gift
“Walter H. Annenberg, the billionaire who made his fortune from TV Guide magazine, announced yesterday the largest one-time gift to private education in American history. At USC, the [$120 million] gift, which will increase [USC’s] $800 million endowment by 15 percent, will create the Annenberg Center for Communication. The endowed center … will draw on and link five existing academic programs: the Annenberg School for Communication, the School of Cinema-Television, the School of Engineering, the School of Journalism and the department of communication arts and sciences.”
– New York Times, June 20, 1993
Barbara and Roger Rossier |
“‘This country’s future rests on the education of its youth,’ says Barbara Rossier. ‘We are duty-bound to provide an excellent educational opportunity to every American child. In addition to supporting our nation’s schools, we must support the universities that are preparing the educators who, in turn, are developing and guiding our children.’”
– USC Trojan Family Magazine, Winter 1998
Island Science
“In 1995, William Wrigley, with a gift of $5 million, kicked off a $60 million project to establish the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies.”
– USC Trojan Family Magazine, Autumn 1999
The USC Wrigley Institute on Catalina Island |
“‘Katherine Loker has always been a special friend of USC,’ Sample said. ‘Her name will remind generations of students what a dedicated alumna can do for her alma mater.’”
– USC Trojan Family Magazine, Autumn 1998
Accounting for Excellence
“‘The School of Accounting consistently ranks among the top five in the nation,’ said Randolph W. Westerfield, dean of the business school. ‘The Leventhals’ $15 million gift will allow us to forge ahead as one of the best academic and professional accounting programs in the country.’”
– USC Chronicle, Nov. 27, 1995
Flora Thornton |
“ ‘It’s nice to back a winner,’ said Flora L. Thornton of her $25 million gift, which will significantly increase the school’s endowment.”
– USC Chronicle, March 29, 1999
Gordon Marshall
“‘I am fortunate to have been associated with USC all my life,’ said Gordon S. Marshall, a member of the university’s Board of Trustees for nearly three decades. ‘Under presidents Norman Topping, John Hubbard, James Zumberge and now Steven Sample, I have seen the university grow and improve. There has been a relentless pursuit of quality and excellence.’”
– News Release, USC News Service, Jan. 15, 1997
 |
“$110 million dollars happens to be the largest commitment ever made to any medical school in the history of medicine. And that wouldn’t have happened had the Keck Foundation not looked very carefully at USC, its leadership, the leadership of its medical school and the needs of the community. Everybody tends to join into the backing of a winner.”
– W. M. Keck Foundation board member Simon Ramo, “Decade of Distinction” video, March 2001
| What's in a Name? |
| Five professional schools were named on President Steven B. Sample’s watch. Each of these naming gifts, when conferred, was the largest in education history to a school of its kind. |
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| 1995 | USC Leventhal School of Accounting | $15 million |
| 1996 | USC Marshall School of Business | $35 million |
| 1998 | USC Rossier School of Education | $20 million |
| 1999 | USC Thornton School of Music | $25 million |
| 1999 | Keck School of Medicine of USC | $110 million |
|
Besides named schools, several landmark gifts to USC have established or strengthened major named research units: |
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| 1993 | USC Annenberg Center for Communication | $120 million |
| 1995 | USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies | $15 million |
| 1998 | USC Loker Hydrocarbon Institute | $15 million |
| 1998 | Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering | $112.5 million |
| – USC Trojan Family Magazine, Winter 1999 | ||
– USC Trojan Family Magazine, Autumn 1996
– USC Trojan Family Magazine, Summer 1998
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