Staff Editorial: Two extraordinary gifts

The University community ought to be exceedingly appreciative when a person or organization donates $100 million dollars to Penn. Even today, $100 million goes an awfully long way.

And when that $100 million comes from long-time University benefactor Walter Annenberg and his wife, Lenore, the community should be especially grateful.

Philanthropy is, of course, nothing new to the Annenbergs. Walter Annenberg founded the school for communication that bears his name back in 1959, permanently endowing it with a $120 million gift in 1993. His generosity is also responsible for the Annenberg Center, the Annenberg Rare Book and Manuscript Library, an endowed chair in Political Science and contributions to undergraduate financial aid. And Penn is just one of many institutions benefitted by the Annenberg's largess.

The Annenberg School is already the nation's preeminent communications research institution, and the new professorships and revamping of the undergraduate program will only help to solidify this position.

And though the Annenbergs are responsible for much of the school's success, the timing of the gift could not be more appropriate, coming as the illustrious deanship of Kathleen Hall Jamieson winds down.

Jamieson, who will leave the Annenberg School's top job at the end of the spring semester, has revolutionized the school, making it not only the best, but also the highest-profile communication school in the country. Her own frequent appearances on television and in print, as well as her work to establish the Annenberg Public Policy Center, has made Penn's Annenberg School a household name.

Her departure will leave an enormous void, and some incredibly big shoes to fill, but her efforts and the Annenbergs' support have made the school strong enough to weather the leadership change.

We can only hope that both Jamieson and the Annenbergs will be with Penn for a long time.

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