Our daughter is very fortunate to be able to attend such a great university in a great city. We hope our gift to Columbia will enable those who are less fortunate but just as deserving to attend as well. This is especially true in difficult financial times as these.

The Iliad captured Ashley's imagination in high school, so it was no surprise when she selected Columbia College and its Core Curriculum. Our participation in the Parents Fund through our time and resources allows Columbia to continue its commitment to the Core and its innovative curriculum. Even more importantly, our endowed scholarship supports a key ingredient to the Core, a talented and diverse student body. We grew up in modest circumstances. We fully appreciate the opportunity a Columbia education holds for a qualified student who lacks the financial means to attend. We hope that one day these students will address the inequities of their generation.

Our son, Nathan, chose Columbia because of its unwavering commitment to the Core Curriculum in the most internationally minded, inclusive academic setting afforded by New York City. Now, halfway though his goal of graduating with a bachelor's in arts from the College and a bachelor's in science from the School of Engineering and Applied Science, he is obtaining the greatest value from a course of study that takes all of its inspiration from the Core Curriculum.

I'd recommend that parents not only support the Parents Fund, but also sign up to be Parents Fund volunteers. The programs the Fund augments, like stipends for faculty teaching in the core curriculum or residential life programs that encourage students to explore other parts of the city, magnify and enrich the undergraduate experience for all Columbia students.  We believe that our daughter will look back on these four years as the happiest in her academic life. She loves being in a school that is situated in a city where so much is going on, and she is also surrounded by students who take their learning opportunities, both inside the classroom and out, very seriously.

I should thank you all for giving Olivia this unique opportunity to study and learn in a place where she is able to exploit her abilities and come back home with a big happy smile. We want to show our gratitude to the Columbia faculty because what they have given her cannot be measured by any means.
 
The delay of our gift is a result of the economic crisis that  touched us all, but taught us to reevaluate our priorities. We have seen once again that education is indeed one of the most important things for our children and their generation. We must continue to offer all students who qualify the opportunity of an education, regardless of their financial background.