CIC Award for Philanthropy (Individual)
Presented to Robert Hale and Karen Hale
The Council of Independent Colleges honors your philanthropic leadership in support of Connecticut College as well as Boston-area hospitals and independent primary and secondary schools. Your passionate support of independent schools and colleges has set an inspiring standard of philanthropic service for all supporters of higher education.
Your generous contributions to Connecticut College for scholarships, campus programs, facilities, and infrastructure projects have benefited countless faculty members and students. Through the New Breeze Foundation, you have given your time and talents to raising funds for the college education of children of fallen service members.
Recognizing that your philanthropy has served as a model for others, the presidents of the nation’s independent colleges and universities honor your distinguished record of generosity and service.
Robert Hale (Connecticut College ‘88) and Karen Hale have donated approximately $20 million to Mr. Hale’s alma mater. Their 2015 gift provided $10 million for scholarships, $5 million for support of the college’s nationally recognized career program, and $5 million for improvements to its athletics facilities. In 2021, the Hales pledged an additional $30 million, the largest single gift in Connecticut College’s history, to support financial aid, athletics, and immediate improvements to the campus infrastructure. Connecticut College is far from the only beneficiary of the Hale’s philanthropy. In May 2021, the Hales surprised each of Quincy College’s (MA) 270 graduates with a $1,000 cash gift. Over the years, the Hales and their foundation, the New Breeze Foundation, have made generous contributions to education and health organizations, including more than $100 million in contributions to Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital and more than $25 million to Deerfield Academy. Mr. Hale is co-founder and president of Granite Telecommunications, headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts. Granite was recognized in 2019 as the most philanthropic company in Massachusetts after donating $25 million to community organizations. He also is a co-owner of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association and the owner of the Boston Cannons of Major League Lacrosse. In 2017, Mr. and Mrs. Hale were honored by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation with the Inaugural Carolyn Lynch Humanitarian Award.
History of the Philanthropy Award—Individual
The historical and literal definition of “philanthropy” is the “love of humankind.” This award celebrates an individual or individuals who demonstrate this love through consequential giving—either in volunteer service or financial support or both—to independent colleges and universities that share the mission of the Council of Independent Colleges. The award honors those who, by their example, provide a beacon for others to follow.
Although every independent college and university president can identify individuals whose contributions have been significant in the life of a particular institution, CIC recognizes with this award individuals who have been important to more than one college or university. Recent examples have included individuals who have provided major support to several different institutions, or to all of the private colleges and universities in one state, or to a number of institutions affiliated with a specific religious denomination. In addition, these philanthropists have often further distinguished themselves by sustained commitment, or by drawing attention to critical needs not yet well supported.
PREVIOUS PHILANTHROPY AWARD RECIPIENTS
2021 Henry B. and Patricia Bush Tippie
2020 Timothy H. and Sharon Williams Ubben
2019 Robert O. Carr
2018 Ronda E. Stryker and William D. Johnston
2016 O. Jay and Patricia Tomson
2015 Roger Mudd
2014 Joan and Macon Brock
2013 E. Ronald Salvitti
2012 T. Jerome and Carolyn Rae McGonigle Holleran
2011 Red and Charline McCombs
2010 William T. Young, Jr. and Barbara Smith Young
2009 Craig Dykstra
2008 H. F. (Gerry) and Marguerite Lenfest
2007 Marvin Suomi
2006 Maynard and Carolyn Sauder
2004 Stanley M. and Helen Jensen Howe
2003 Elizabeth Perkins Protho
2002 John and Constance Vucurevich
2000 Julie J. Kidd
CIC Award for Philanthropy (Organization)
Presented to Cannon Charitable Interests
The Council of Independent Colleges salutes Cannon Charitable Interests’ generous support of higher education, health care, human services, and community—philanthropy that honors Charles A. Cannon’s legacy of community leadership.
Grants from the foundation have allowed Wingate University and more than 25 additional independent colleges and universities in North Carolina and other states to complete significant projects and implement new programs on their campuses.
The presidents of the nation’s independent colleges and universities gratefully honor the Cannon Charitable Interests for their distinguished record of generosity and service.
The Cannon Charitable Interests, composed of the Cannon Foundation, the Charles A. Cannon Charitable Trusts, and the Mariam and Robert Hayes Charitable Trust, supports numerous organizations across the state of North Carolina, continuing the legacy of founder Charles A. Cannon, of textile fame, to support community leadership and philanthropy. Giving from the Cannon Charitable Interests to Wingate University began in 1953 with a gift of $5,000 and now totals more than $35 million. More than 25 other CIC member institutions in North Carolina and other states have received support from Cannon Charitable Interests, including: Barton College, Belmont Abbey College, Bennett College, Brevard College, Catawba College, Chowan University, Converse College, Gardner-Webb University, Guilford College, Hampden-Sydney College, High Point University, Johnson C. Smith University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Livingstone College, Mars Hill University, Meredith College, Montreat College, North Carolina Wesleyan College, Pfeiffer University, Queens University of Charlotte, Salem College, St. Andrews University, Shaw University, University of Mount Olive, Warren Wilson College, Wheaton College (IL), and William Peace University.
History of the Philanthropy Award—Organization
Philanthropic foundations and corporate giving programs support innovative thinking and the development of ideas and programs. As important cultural agents, they focus the nation’s attention on pressing issues facing our society. This award celebrates a foundation or corporation whose support to CIC or private colleges and universities has demonstrated leadership and vision and consequently has made a significant difference in the vitality of independent higher education.
With this award, CIC seeks to honor philanthropic organizations, whether their scope is national or regional, that have made the support of independent colleges and universities a priority in their funding or have discovered that independent institutions are particularly successful grantees in addressing the funding organization’s priority areas. Many of the foundations and corporations that have received this award also have demonstrated sustained commitment to independent higher education over a number of years and even decades.
PREVIOUS PHILANTHROPY AWARD RECIPIENTS
2021 The Duke Endowment
2020 Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities, Inc.
2019 The Bernard Osher Foundation
2018 Newman’s Own Foundation
2017 Research Corporation for Science Advancement
2016 The Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation
2015 James S. Kemper Foundation
2013 Coca-Cola Company
2012 The John R. Oishei Foundation
2011 The Arthur J. Schmitt Foundation
The Walmart Foundation
2010 The Bernard McDonough Foundation
2009 Shelby M. C. Davis United World College Scholars Program
2008 Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation
2007 George I. Alden Trust
2006 Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Davis Educational Foundation
2005 The UPS Foundation
2004 Scholarship America
2003 Jessie Ball DuPont Fund
2002 The Bush Foundation
2001 The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
2000 The Kresge Foundation
The M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust
CIC Allen P. Splete Award for Outstanding Service
(Sponsored by Metz Culinary Management)
Presented to Judith Block McLaughlin
The Council of Independent Colleges pays tribute to your long-standing focus on leadership and governance as sources of excellence in higher education. Your extensive writing and consulting on leadership transitions, presidential assessment, healthy board–president relationships, and sound governance have made a significant impact on American higher education.
As educational chair of the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents and the Harvard Seminar for Experienced Presidents, you have contributed enormously to strengthening the leadership pipeline, contributing to the success of more than 1,000 college and university presidents since the program’s inception in 1990.
The presidents of the nation’s independent colleges and universities are proud to honor your distinguished record of accomplishment and your many contributions to presidential leadership.
Judith Block McLaughlin, as educational chair of the Harvard Seminar for New Presidents and the Harvard Seminar for Experienced Presidents, has developed over 1,000 college and university presidents since the program’s inception in 1990. Prior to joining Harvard, she was dean of student affairs at two colleges, executive director of the National Academy of Education, and a high school social studies teacher. In 2007, she was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to serve as chair of the Massachusetts Public Education Nominating Council, the body that nominates trustees for the state’s colleges and universities. McLaughlin has written and consulted extensively on leadership transitions, presidential assessment, and board-president relationships. She has published Leadership Amidst Controversy: Presidential Perspectives; Leadership Transitions: The New College President; and Choosing a College President: Opportunities and Constraints (with D. Riesman).
History of the Allen P. Splete Award
The Allen P. Splete Award is presented to an individual, organization, or publication in recognition of significant contributions to independent higher education. Recipients have demonstrated national leadership, through ideas and commitment, on behalf of private colleges and universities.
With this award, CIC recognizes individuals and organizations that have contributed to greater understanding and appreciation of the role of independent colleges and universities or have been responsible for significant improvements in these institutions. Examples include research and writing about this sector or a particular segment of it and giving voice to the needs and attributes of independent institutions in public forums, as well as behind the scenes. The award is named after Allen P. Splete, president of CIC from 1986 to 2000.
PREVIOUS ALLEN P. SPLETE AWARD RECIPIENTS
2021 Earl Lewis
2020 Peter T. Ewell
2019 Johnnetta Betsch Cole
2018 Ernesto Nieto
2017 Arthur Levine
2016 W. Robert Connor
2014 Sandy Baum and Michael McPherson
2013 Alexander Astin
2012 Gordon Winston
2011 Mary Patterson McPherson
2009 George D. Kuh
2008 Stephen Joel Trachtenberg
2007 Eugene M. Lang
2006 Ken Yamada
2005 Thomas A. Emmet
2004 Elizabeth J. McCormack and Jerry I. Aron
2003 USA Today
2002 Patricia Willis
2001 Richard Kimball