Impact: Philanthropy in Trinity - Today, Tomorrow and Forever
Philanthropy has been vital to the development of Trinity College Dublin since its establishment in 1592. In the 2011/2012 academic year over 1,800 donors responded generously to a call to support Trinity. I would like to thank our donors for their contribution to the University. We understand the responsibility that comes with this commitment and the Trinity community is doing everything in its power to ensure that all the initiatives supported by philanthropy are a success.
Below is a selection of stories of current philanthropic giving. The people and organisations behind these gifts demonstrate how they make an impact on Trinity today, tomorrow and, I hope, forever.
Dr Patrick Prendergast
Provost & Donor to TCD
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Message from the Director
The year ending 30 September 2012 was very successful for Trinity in terms of philanthropic giving and it is very encouraging that our alumni and friends continue to support the University so generously. I am pleased to report that we secured just under €24 million this year compared with a pledged income of €15 million in each of the two previous years. Such support testifies to, and enhances, the quality of academic excellence we must maintain at Trinity.
I am delighted that alumni giving participation is growing steadily. No matter how modest, every gift counts. Philanthropy is playing an ever greater role in empowering the University to strengthen its position as Ireland’s premier university, delivering world-class education and research. This newsletter gives examples of donations, which, I am sure, you will find inspiring. We are grateful to all our supporters, each of them making a difference.
Nick Sparrow
Director of Trinity Foundation & Donor to TCD
Chuck Feeney
The nine universities of Ireland, North and South, conferred an honorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) on Charles F. “Chuck” Feeney, Founder of The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP) in a ceremony in Dublin Castle on 6 September 2012. This is the first time that all the universities on the island of Ireland have come together to confer their highest award on a single individual. The degree was designed publicly to honour and give thanks to Chuck Feeney for his incredible support of Irish universities over the past twenty years and to convey to the people of Ireland just how radical his continued support has been.
Since 1989 he has donated almost €800 million to Ireland, mostly to third level education on both sides of the Border, and effected transformational change in higher educational and research. Atlantic Philanthropies invested €137 million in Trinity College over the past twenty years, including funding new student facilities, educational programmes, research and campus development. A prime example of Chuck Feeney’s impact is his foundation’s decision to support the study of ageing in Ireland. The Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing (TILDA), led by Trinity, has received funding of €29 million over ten years from the AP, Department of Health and Irish Life. It has become a ‘laboratory’ for generating and analysing data to impact policy and inform all ageing research domains. Starting with just ten people in 2003, Trinity has now over a hundred academics actively engaged in ageing research, bringing new insights and developing solutions as Ireland and the world faces an ageing population.
Having benefitted himself from an Ivy League education, Mr Feeney directed most of his fortune to helping universities and medical research in the United States, Ireland, Australia, Vietnam and South Africa to build up their educational and research facilities. AP also provided scholarships for needy students and has made thousands of grants to promote social justice. Unique among major philanthropists, Chuck Feeney has undertaken to spend all his fortune by 2016, on the principle that today’s generation of rich people should tackle today’s problems today. When AP closes its doors in 2020, it will have donated over €8 billion to good causes worldwide. Read more...
The Naughtons
Glen Dimplex Group Founder and leading Irish entrepreneur, Dr Martin Naughton, and his wife Carmel have been generous supporters of Trinity over the years. They donated considerable amounts to develop major capital projects that have become Trinity landmarks, such as CRANN and Science Gallery, and also to establish a number of academic programmes and posts in science and engineering. With their support CRANN has become one of the top institutions in the field of nanoscience and Science Gallery has gained success internationally as a cutting-edge platform for promoting the importance of science to young people.
Through the Naughton Foundation, Dr and Mrs Naughton also support an all-Ireland scholarship programme, which was established in 2008 to promote the study of engineering, science and technology at third level. Each year a number of exceptional students are awarded scholarships to study at undergraduate level at any publicly funded higher-level institution in Ireland.
“Every year we are amazed and delighted at the extremely talented students who have been awarded scholarships. Not only do the students have very high academic merits but they all also possess a drive and determination to get the most out of their chosen degree courses and are all lovely people. We are passionate about the importance of engineering, science and technology in education in Ireland today and by supporting these students we hope in a small way to spread that passion to the next generation.” Martin & Carmel Naughton
Dr Beate Schuler
Many areas in College have benefitted from the generosity of Dr Beate Schuler – one of Trinity’s passionate supporters. First-class education is her main philanthropic focus. She engages actively with the projects she funds and delights “to give with warm hands” – seeing her donations bring results is her great joy. Dr Beate Schuler’s family came to Ireland from Germany in 1960 and her father, Dr Wilhelm (Fips) Schuler, founded a small manufacturing plant, Loftus Bryan Chemicals Ltd. in Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow. It was the first synthetic pharmaceuticals production plant in Ireland. This very successful company was sold twenty years later to the US pharmaceutical company Schering-Plough.
In 1982 Fips and Beate Schuler together founded a new bulk manufacturing pharmaceutical company in Arklow, Co. Wicklow. This company, Iropharm Ltd., was engaged in the chemical synthesis of off-patent substances. Dr Beate Schuler eventually took the helm. The success of Iropharm Ltd. again attracted the attention of a US multinational and in 1997 it was sold to AlliedSignal Inc. Dr Beate Schuler continued pursuing her entrepreneurial and scientific interests and also started her philanthropic giving. “When I sold Iropharm Ltd. in 1997 it was my desire to show my gratitude to Trinity College Dublin. After all, some of our best chemists graduated from Trinity!”
Dr Schuler has supported Ph.D. studentships and research in areas as diverse as Chemistry, German, Business and the Science Gallery. She also funded the wonderful sculpture – “Double Helix” – outside the Institute of Genetics celebrating the discovery of the structure of DNA. In 2011, Trinity had the privilege of naming a seminar room in Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute in honour of Dr Fips Schuler – a recognition of his legacy in Ireland.
Dr Schuler has been providing support for students on the Trinity Access Programmes studying science. The newest Schuler Scholarship for TAP has been awarded to Eric Doyle, current BT Young Scientist and the EU Young Scientist who is a former student of Synge Street CBS and is now studying Theoretical Physics in TCD. Now living in Germany, Dr Beate Schuler retains close ties to Ireland. We are delighted that she plays an active role on the Trinity Foundation Board helping the College’s scientific and entrepreneurial activities.
1592 Giving Circle
In 2012/13 we are making a special appeal to our alumni to join the 1592 Circle, a new giving programme for graduates who commit gifts of €1,000 a year. Members of the circle will enjoy a range of attractive privileges including invitations to special events.
Alumni donations provide much needed support to help the University bridge the gap between its regular income (such as registration fees and government grants) and the revenue required if Trinity is to benefit from various opportunities that would improve scholarship, enhance the student experience and other initiatives vital for a modern education.
Gathering members of the 1592 Circle is now underway. If you are interested in learning more please call Mark Hughes on +353 (1) 896 4568.
McLoughlin Family Gift
The Margaret McLoughlin Art Project at the National Institute for Intellectual Disability (NIID) in Trinity College was initiated with a generous gift from the McLoughlin family and friends. The project is named after Margaret, daughter of Joan and Tony McLoughlin, and sister to David, Louise and Kieran McLoughlin. Margaret, who had Down’s syndrome, passed away in 2003 at the age of 25.
The McLoughlin Family set up a fund commemorating her spirit, vitality and joy and together with friends and supporters, raised $200,000 which in 2011 they donated to the National Institute of Intellectual Disability (NIID) at Trinity College Dublin. The NIID is a unique institute with a mission to promote the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in education and in the wider community. Specifically this gift is funding the innovative Expressive Arts Programme which enables students of the NIID to engage with art, drama, poetry and film, and to develop their creative talents.
“The question of how best to use this money was discussed by the family, and many options were considered. We were aware of the NIID programme, and we decided that this was the road we would like to follow. We decided this mainly because we saw it as a very progressive initiative, which provided the opportunity for people like Margaret to enhance their lives and be given a means to develop the talents which they undoubtedly possess.” Joan McLoughlin
Michael Crewe Book Donation
Michael Crewe graduated from Trinity in 1954 with a B.A. in Ancient & Modern Literature. He moved abroad when he completed his studies and did not have a chance to come back until recently. Nevertheless he never forgot Trinity. Years after his graduation Michael was considering what to do with some valuable books in his possession. His first thought was to offer them to the Trinity Library. Robin Adams, the College Librarian, and his team were delighted to accept the books and began restoring them once they were delivered. Some months back, Michael mentioned this gift in passing to his family and this prompted his wife and children to try and think of something special to mark forthcoming Michael’s 80th birthday - a surprise trip to Dublin.
Michael and his family had a busy day in Trinity. They had a tour of campus and visited the Old Library and the Conservation Laboratory where Robin Adams showed the preservation of the books that Michael gave to Trinity. We thank Michael for the gift of the books that add to Trinity collections, but most of all we thank Michael for remembering Trinity for all these years.
Books donated by Michael:
• Pliny, the Younger: Caii Plinii Caecilii Secundi opera quae supersunt; omnia. Ad fidem optimarum editionum diligenter expressa. (Glasgow, 1751)
• Martin Luther: Das Neue Testament (Cologne, 1885)
• [Jonathan Swift]: Miscellanies. The third volume (London, 1732)
• Vetus Testamentum ex versione septuaginta interpretum (London, 18th century)
• Alex. Cruden: A complete concordance to the Holy Scriptures … (London, 1825)
• T.B. Macaulay: Lays of Ancient Rome: with “Ivry” and “The armada” (Leipzig, 1851)
• W.M. Thackeray: The history of Pendennis (London, 1849-50)
• Histories of Titus Livy of Patavium … First three books with English explanatory notes and examination questions (Dublin, 1849)
• M. Bourdon: Application de l’algèbre a la géométrie, (Paris, 1831)
• Charles E. Sprague: Hand-book of Volapück, 3rd ed. (New York and London, 1888)
School of Business Patrons
There has been an extraordinary response from alumni and the business community to a call to help build a new, modern building for Trinity School of Business, with over €5m of the €15m target pledged to date. The goal is to secure the full amount by 2016 when the School is built. The Business School Advisory Board, led by Sean Melly, have spearheaded the campaign and to date 15 leading international business people have generously committed to becoming Founding Patrons and Patrons of the new School.
Those who have committed their support understand that Trinity, as the premier university in Ireland, needs to have facilities for its School of Business that meet international standards in order to continue providing a world-class education and attracting the best students.
Today, as never before, Ireland needs to foster entrepreneurial and business skills. The new building will enable the School of Business to be at the heart of Trinity’s ambitious programmes of innovation and entrepreneurship and to serve more effectively as the gateway between Trinity and national and international business communities.
School of Law Corporate Supporters
The School of Law has partnered with law firms eager to support its enhanced educational programmes and new areas of research as well as provide financial assistance to Trinity students.
Arthur Cox has provided funding for the Arthur Cox Visiting Research Fellowship to support research of an academic, specialist practitioner or judge, for one semester. The firm has also committed to supporting studentships in the School of Law and the School of Business. These studentships provide financial support for postgraduate research students and allow those students to gain valuable teaching experience associated with large undergraduate modules.
Arthur Cox is one of Ireland's largest law firms with over 100 partners and a total staff of almost 650. It is an "all-island" law firm, with full-service offices in Dublin and Belfast. The firm also has offices in London, New York and Silicon Valley. Its practice encompasses all aspects of corporate and business law.
McCann FitzGerald has committed to providing funding to support the McCann FitzGerald Chair in Corporate Law. Professor Blanaid Clarke, who is recognised internationally in the field of corporate law, was appointed to this position to lead the development of this area and to contribute to research and policy making. Professor Clarke will play a leading role in researching and shaping future policy, supporting the College's and McCann FitzGerald's shared objectives of leadership, partnership and innovation in the area of corporate law, both in the public and private sectors.
McCann FitzGerald is one of Ireland's premier law firms providing the highest quality legal advice and representation to Irish and overseas clients principally in the corporate, financial and business sectors as well as to government entities and many State bodies. Professor Clarke will play a leading role in researching and shaping future policy, supporting the College's and McCann FitzGerald's shared objectives of leadership, partnership and innovation in the area of corporate law, both in the public and private sectors.
"We are very pleased to see Professor Clarke appointed to this position. This is an opportune time to establish a Chair of Corporate Law given the enormous public demand for better legal regulation of corporate entities, including the banking sector. Blanaid has a strong track record with extensive experience gained through her work with the Takeover Panel, the Central Bank Commission and the European Commission." John Cronin, McCann FitzGerald Chairman
Lasting Legacies
Trinity’s School of Medicine was founded by a generous legacy from the Widow Parsons in 1711. Since then the School has received many legacies, large and small, which have helped develop significant expertise and capacity in medical research in Trinity, supporting breakthroughs in areas such as cancer, infection, immune deficiency, TB and malaria.
More than 300 years later in 2012, another legacy, from Ellen Mayston Bates (nee Bréese) for over €3 million, is supporting a major epilepsy research programme enabling new insights and discoveries into this serious brain disorder for the benefit of people all over the world.
Dr John Gilbert Kirker studied Medicine at TCD in the 1940s and worked in the hospitals affiliated with Trinity. He made a major contribution to the development of epilepsy services and research in Ireland. Dr Kirker cared deeply about Trinity and its reputation throughout his life. He left a bequest to Trinity to fund an annual lecture, aiming to inspire students with an interest in epilepsy.
Dr Seamus Ó Floinn graduated from Medicine at Trinity College in 1960 before emigrating to the United States. Throughout his life he retained a deep loyalty to Trinity. Dr Ó Floinn left a generous bequest which benefitted the research led by Professor in Respiratory Medicine Joseph Keane. “Dr Seamus Ó Floinn’s generosity allowed me to run my laboratory at the crucial time in my career. Without this funding there was a threat to the interruption of the quality of the group’s work. My colleagues and I will be forever appreciative of this legacy, which continues to make a difference and lives on. I am also grateful to Dr Ó Floinn’s wife Lacy and his brother, Rear Admiral Cathal Flynn, who also supported my laboratory’s work.” Professor Keane
Find out more about leaving a legacy.
Alumni Appeal
Today, Trinity is home to over 2,000 ground-breaking research projects and scholarships which need the support of Trinity alumni. From developing treatments for killers diseases, and advancing equality in the developing world, to creating new technologies, and challenging long-held cultural assumptions, these research projects could not be carried out without generous gifts from Trinity alumni.
More than 500 students are currently supported by the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP), who, owing to their personal circumstances, would otherwise be unable to reach their academic potential. The Alumni Appeal was launched in March 2011 to raise funds for research projects, scholarships and access programmes. The Alumni Appeal has proven to be a great success, with almost €270,000 raised from close to 3,000 donations since its launch.
Trinity alumni who have kindly donated to our Alumni Appeal, have directly supported TAP students, and students carrying out research projects, so that they can make a vital contribution to a better future for our people, our country, and our planet.
Meet John Healy
A graduate of Trinity in History and Political Science, John R. Healy took over as Chairman of the Board of Trinity Foundation in the summer of 2012. With a strong belief in power of philanthropy, and a conviction that tackling the great issues of our time requires the advancement of knowledge within universities, Mr. Healy is one of Trinity’s ardent supporters. Mr. Healy was Chief Executive Officer of The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP), the foundation established by the philanthropist Chuck Feeney, from 2001 to 2007. As leader of AP Mr. Healy managed the organisation’s successful transition to a limited-life foundation which expects to cease active grant-making by 2020, an unusual strategy for a major philanthropy. Having been recruited by Chuck Feeney in 1990 to manage Atlantic’s giving in Ireland, Mr. Healy moved to New York in 2001 and led the transformation of the organisation from one of the most secretive foundations in the world to one of the most open and transparent.
John Healy sits on the boards of The Irish Landmark Trust and the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland. He is Chair of Philanthropy Ireland. He is a member of the advisory board of The ONE Foundation and of the Irish Government’s Forum on Philanthropy & Fundraising. Mr. Healy is adjunct professor in Trinity’s Centre for Nonprofit Management and lectures in the fields of philanthropy and foundation management.