Syracuse University announced a $75 million pledge to the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications on Monday, the largest gift in the university’s history.

The Samuel I. Newhouse foundation made the pledge, which would fund several academic initiatives and would be one of the largest gifts donated to a communications school, according to an SU News release. 

Donald Newhouse, a representative of the foundation and an honorary member of SU’s Board of Trustees, announced the pledge at an on-campus event Monday morning. The Newhouse School is named after his late father, Samuel, who founded Advanced Publications in 1922.

“My family and I expect to continue our long-term commitment to ensure that the school my Dad helped found almost 60 years ago remains the leading communications school in the world,” Newhouse said in the release. 

The gift would help boost SU’s Forever Orange fundraising campaign. The $1.5 billion capital campaign, announced in November, aims to increase the university’s endowment through private donations. The campaign raised more than $770 million by its official launch. 

The funds would be allocated under the direction of the Newhouse School’s next dean, according to the release. The university hopes to have a new dean appointed by July 2020. 

Lorraine Braham, who served as dean of the Newhouse School for 11 years, died of cancer in April 2019. Amy Falkner, associate dean of academic affairs, currently serves as interim dean.

“We are so grateful to the Newhouse Foundation for this gift that sets the school on the path to achieve its most important priorities for many years to come,” Falkner said. “The Newhouse School would not have become the preeminent school it is today without the commitment of the Newhouse family, which has been steadfast in its support for more than half a century.”

Published on January 13, 2020 at 12:23 pm

Contact Chris: cjhippen@syr.edu