Honorable Mentions211 other known gifts of more than $1 million in 1997

130. ED SNIDER–$2 million to the Wharton School of the UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA to support the work of the school’s Sol C. Snider Entrepreneurial Center, dedicated to studying entrepreneurship and business venturing. Ed Snider founded the Philadelphia Flyers; developed two major arenas, the CoreStates Spectrum and the CoresStates Center; and founded PRISM, a regional premium cable-television channel, which broadcasts home games of the Philadelphia Flyers, Phillies, and 76ers. He is a member of Wharton’s board of overseers, and founded and endowed the Entrepreneurial Center in 1985 to honor his father, a Russian immigrant, who created a chain of supermarkets in Washington, D.C.



130. ALEX G. SPANOS–$2 million in 1997 from the owner of the San Diego Chargers: $1 million to the AMERICAN RED CROSS for use in meeting the needs of flood victims in California; $1 million to CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY AT SACRAMENTO to boost the city’s bid to host the 2000 Olympic track-and-field trials. The gift will be used to upgrade the track facility at Hornet Stadium. Spanos is a national builder/developer and owns the A.G. Spanos Cos., in addition to the Chargers.



130. JERRE and MARY JOY STEAD–$2 million to GARRETT-EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY (Ill.) for faculty and program support. Jerre Stead is chairman and CEO of Ingram Micro, a technology-product distributor.



130. OPRAH WINFREY–$2 million in 1997. A gift of $1 million to A BETTER CHANCE, for which Winfrey will serve as national spokeswoman. Through its academic talent-search and placement program, the oldest and largest in the country, the 34-year-old organization helps academically talented minority students gain admission to some of the nation’s most rigorous college-preparatory schools. Virtually all the program’s graduates go on to college. Although she has been associated with A Better Chance since 1989, the talk-show host said she was increasing her involvement with the group because of the need to expand the kind of services it offers. Also, $1 million to MOREHOUSE COLLEGE (Ga.) for scholarships. Winfrey gave $1 million to the college eight years ago.



130. CRISPUS (CHRIS) ATTUCKS WRIGHT–$2 million to the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA Law School to establish the Wright Scholarship Endowment from this retired Los Angeles attorney and alumnus of USC. The gift is the largest made to the university–and the second largest to any U.S. law school–by an African-American. The scholarship will provide financial support for academically qualified and financially deserving African-American students and those of other ethnicities interested in practicing law in under-represented communities.



166. HAROLD SCHWENCK JR.–$1.75 million to the UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT for unrestricted use, from the chairman of B.G.S. Systems of Boston and his wife.



167. ALAN and PHYLLIS SIMPKINS–A building valued at as much as $1.7 million to SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY for the international center, which the couple established. Alan Simpkins founded two telecommunications companies.



168. DAVID and MARION HANDLEMAN–$1.6 million to the DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA.



168. RALPH R. PAPITTO–$1.6 million to ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY, the largest gift in the school’s history, from the chairman of AFC Cable Systems in Providence



170. ERNEST and SARAH BUTLER–$1.5 million to the AUSTIN MUSEUM OF ART (Texas) from this retired physician, a member of the museum’s board, and his wife. The Butlers are longtime Austin arts patrons.