Alumni Profile

Lerner Foundation Gift Establishes Permanent Fund for Religious Studies Program

Recent NYU graduate Jonathan A. Lerner (CAS '07) and his family's foundation have made a contribution to establish a new permanent fund for the Religious Studies Program at the College of Arts and Science. The Annette M. and Theodore N. Lerner Family Fund for Religious Studies will be used to enrich the Program's offerings by supporting faculty research and travel grants, student research scholarships, undergraduate instruction and course support, symposia and conferences, lecture series, and other special events.

"Jonathan had such a wonderful experience at NYU and he urged our family to contribute to the school that means so much to him," says Mark D. Lerner, Jonathan's father. "It was really Jonathan's desire to give something back. Giving to the Religious Studies Program was his idea, and the entire family was unanimous in our support."

Jonathan earned a degree in both Religious Studies and also Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies from the College in the spring of 2007. He is now working toward a law degree at Georgetown University Law Center and believes that his undergraduate studies prepared him for his future career in law. "My classes were really eye opening," he says. "Religious studies teaches you to be open minded and to listen, analyze, and think before you speak."

"We want the Fund to provide the Program with a foundation that will help it grow in the years to come," Jonathan adds. "I hope the Fund will help bring together people who want to learn more about religion and bring more attention to the Program."

News

NYU Trustee Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò Endows Chair in Contemporary Italian Studies

When Baroness Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò donated a 19th century Greenwich Village townhouse to New York University in 1988, it launched a period of tremendous growth and evolution for the Department of Italian Studies at the College of Arts and Science. Now, twenty years later, the Baroness has given the University a new gift that will further impact the lives of NYU faculty, students and admirers of Italian culture.

The new Guido and Mariuccia Zerilli-Marimò Chair in Contemporary Italian Studies will fund a full-time professorship and research position focusing on post-1945 Italian politics, history, culture, economy, thought and society. The Chair will continue and enhance the already significant role the Department of Italian Studies plays educating and enlightening NYU students and the community as a whole. The first faculty member appointed to the Chair will be charged with researching and presenting his or her findings on topics regarding significant current events affecting Italy.

Both Casa Italiana and the new Chair in Contemporary Italian Studies continue the legacy of the Baroness' late husband, Baron Guido Zerilli-Marimò. The Baron was the former chairman of Lepetit&emdash;a leading pharmaceutical company in Italy&emdash;and a benefactor of many causes and cultural organizations, particularly educational initiatives for young people.

"Casa Italiana has been a labor of love in memory of my husband and for my country," says the Baroness. "In these past 20 years, I have been happy to be affiliated with this great university that has an atmosphere of such academic excellence. I consider NYU a member of my American family and like any family member, the joy of watching it grow and excel is a source of pride for me."

The Campaign for NYU Breaks Records
Thanks to the generosity of alumni and friends, The Campaign for NYU raised a grand total of $3.075 billion, making it the most successful fundraising campaign in NYU history and in the history of higher education to date.

The goal of the seven-year campaign, which concluded on August 31, 2008, was $2.5 billion. The University surpassed that goal eight months ahead of schedule. While other institutions are currently in the midst of campaigns that may reach higher totals, NYU is the first institution to complete a campaign with such an impressive number.

Donors made over 476,000 gifts during the campaign in support of the University's greatest priorities, from faculty recruitment and financial aid to new facilities, schools and academic programs. Contributions enabled NYU to establish over 700 new scholarship and fellowship funds and over 120 new professorships, and the impact of the campaign can also be seen in the many cutting-edge buildings, laboratories, and classrooms that have opened across campus.

"One of the greatest successes of the campaign has been in building community and in engaging the many different groups at NYU around one set of goals and priorities," says Debra LaMorte, senior vice president for development and alumni relations. "We are grateful to all of the alumni and friends who made it such a spectacular success."

"Although the campaign is over, our fundraising must continue in earnest," LaMorte adds. "We need the continued support of our entire community to maintain our success and meet the ongoing needs of our faculty, students and campus."