News Feature

Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences

October 4, 2007

Armen Alex A. Avanessians ENG’83 pledged $5 million in support of the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the use of which will be designated at the close of the Campaign.

Santiago Calatrava, the world-renowned architect, artist, and engineer who is designing the World Trade Center transportation hub in Lower Manhattan, donated $2 million to establish the Calatrava Family Professorship in civil engineering at the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Geoffrey T. Grant ENG’82 pledged $2 million to help further develop Columbia’s (club) squash team and another $1.5 for undergraduate scholarships ($1 million at Engineering and $500,000 at the College). Grant, a former squash player who today runs a hedge fund, has previously supported Engineering and now expands his giving.

James Li ENG’68,’70,’76 and Elizabeth Li, Parent ENG’06 made a gift of $1 million to establish The James M. and Elizabeth S. Li Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid for undergraduate students who intend to study or are studying Industrial Engineering and Operations Research and have graduated from a New York City public high school with a preference for children of those who have relocated from their homeland to reside in the United States.

Ming Chung Liu and Yan Cheung, Parents ENG’08, have pledged $1 million to establish a the Industrial Engineering and Operations Research Department Chinese Graduate Students Fund and an additional $50,000 to support the Dean’s Discretionary Fund.

Dr. Vikram S. Pandit ENG’76, ’77, BU’80, GSAS’86, Trustee, made a gift of $1 million to the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the use of which will be designated at the close of the Campaign.

Two anonymous donors gave $1 million in FY2007, one to create a scholarship fund for undergraduate students and the second to create a fellowship fund for graduate students.

The Class of 2007 Senior Fund broke all University records, reaching 100 percent participation this year.  Daniel Okin, president of the Engineering Student Council, presented the gift to Dean Zvi Galil at Class Day and said that the outstanding participation rate was a tribute to Galil’s service as Dean for the past 12 years and the impact he had on student life and the quality of education at the School.