Billionaire Robert Toll Gives UPenn $50 Million for Public-Interest Program (Gifts Roundup)

A roundup of notable gifts compiled by the Chronicle:

University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Jane and Robert Toll gave $50 million through their Robert and Jane Toll Foundation to expand the Toll Public Interest Scholars and Fellows Program, which is focused on supporting tuition and programs for students training to become public-interest lawyers.

Robert Toll co-founded Toll Brothers, a luxury homebuilder in Horsham, Pa. He earned an LLB degree from the law school in 1966. Jane Toll is a retired teacher and earned a degree from the university’s Graduate School of Education in 1966.

The Tolls gave the law school $3 million in 2018 to create the Toll Public Service Corps, which includes Toll Scholars and Fellows, and in 2006 they gave $10 million to the Law School’s public-interest program, which was named for them.

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation

Sheila Jellison and her daughters, Christie Jellison Mucha, Hilary Jellison Simonds, and Michelle Jellison, donated $25 million through the family’s Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation to create the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute.

Sheila Jellison is the widow of Brian Jellison, who led Roper Technologies, which designs software and other products, from 2001 until his death from cancer in 2018.

University of California at San Diego

Rita and Richard Atkinson pledged nearly $7 million to establish and endow the Richard C. and Rita L. Atkinson UC San Diego Physician Assistant Education Program, which is expected to be based out of the UC San Diego School of Medicine once the program is approved by the University of California System.

Richard Atkinson, a professor of psychology and cognitive science, served as president of the UC system from 1995 to 2003, and as chancellor of UC San Diego from 1980 to 1995. He was the director of the National Science Foundation from 1977 to 1980. Rita Atkinson is a psychologist.

Lehigh University

Ellen and Vincent Forlenza donated $5 million to endow the Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 Chair in Health Innovation and Technology in the university’s new College of Health.

Vincent Forlenza is executive chairman of Becton Dickinson, a medical-technology company headquartered in Franklin Lakes, N.J. He has served in a number of executive positions, including CEO, during his 40-year career with the company.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh in 1975 and currently serves on the university’s Board of Trustees.

University of Nevada at Las Vegas

Peggy and Andrew Cherng gave $5 million to the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality to expand current programs and establish new ones, including a fast-casual dining program.

The Cherngs founded the Panda Restaurant Group, which operates the Panda Express chain and other dining brands. Peggy Cherng is an electrical engineer who worked for aircraft companies before joining the family restaurant business.

Tulane University School of Science and Engineering

Charlotte Beyer Hubbell donated $3 million, of which $2 million will be used to establish and endow the Charlotte Beyer Hubbell Chair in River-Coastal Science and Engineering, and $1 million will create the River-Coastal Science and Engineering Excellence Fund.

The fund will pay for students to travel for research projects and to attend conferences, for computing infrastructure and field research equipment, and to expand and support the development of a network of Lower Mississippi River experimental stations.

Hubbell is an attorney in Iowa who in 2007 was appointed by that state’s governor to a four-year term on Iowa’s State Environmental Protection Commission. Hubbell earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tulane’s Newcomb College in 1971.

To learn about other big donations, see our database of gifts of $1 million or more, which is updated throughout the week.