INSPIRE T H E G I V I N G N E W S L E T T E R O F P R AT T I N S T I T U T E Spring / Summer 2012
BRUCE NEWMAN CREATES A CAMPUS PARADISE AT PRATT
JON MACAPODI
$1 MILLION GIFT EXPANDS IMPROVEMENTS TO CAMPUS
Bruce Newman (B.F.A. Interior Design ’53) at the 125th Anniversary Kickoff
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hile Pratt celebrates its 125th anniversary, Pratt Trustee and alumnus Bruce Newman (B.F.A. Interior Design ’53) is already picturing the Institute’s 150th. “I’ll be 107, so I’ll be here,” he says. “I’ll see how absolutely exquisite the campus is and think, ‘If Heaven looks like this, I don’t mind going.’”
Enhancing the Pratt campus has been a primary Newman, whose recent $1 million donation to Pratt is just the latest in a series of generous focus for Schutte throughout his tenure as president, gifts he has made to create beautiful and inviting and Newman considers him an inspiration. “I’ve outdoor spaces across the campus, is well on his known Tom for nineteen years and have always way to realizing his dream of making the Institute’s felt that his enormous dedication, energy, drive, Brooklyn home a sanctuary for students and the most and passion for Pratt were contagious to the entire attractive university setting in New York City. From community,” he says. Improving the the Newman Mall I F HEAVE N LO O KS grounds also enhances and Ampitheater, which now features L IKE T H E P RAT T C AMP U S , the learning experience. “Spaces that promote the Bruce M. Newman I D ON ’T MI ND GO ING. student interaction are ’53 Clock dedicated — BRUC E N EW M A N essential for the kind in October 2011 during the Institute’s 125th Anniversary Kickoff, to of creative collaboration that leads our students to the freshly paved North and South Walks, the Pratt innovation,” says Pratt Trustee and alumna Juliana campus today reflects Newman’s lifelong love of Curran Terian (B. Arch. ’90), whose generosity in 2004 and engagement with aesthetics and his belief that helped Pratt merge the Institute’s design disciplines good design is an essential ingredient of life. His at the Juliana Curran Terian Design Center. “By most recent commitment will allow the Institute to fostering campus life and student engagement outside complete important upgrades, including landscaping of the classroom, Bruce is playing a vital part in our the Engineering Quad, restoring the courtyard that interdisciplinary work in the classroom.” Newman also supports Pratt as a means of giving connects Main Building and East Hall, and developing back, a lesson he learned from his father—a Russian an outdoor recreation area for students. “It’s wonderful and personally very gratifying for immigrant who went on to establish one of America’s me to see how much the students enjoy the beautiful foremost decorative arts and antiques emporiums, campus we’ve created through Bruce’s outstanding Newel Art Galleries, where Newman served as support and dedication,” says Pratt President Thomas president for 26 years. “He realized the American F. Schutte. “His continued generosity, enthusiasm, dream and was so grateful to this country; he always support, and involvement are allowing us to create a told us to give back,” says Newman. “Pratt gave a lot to truly world-class campus that reflects the caliber of me, and I’m trying to give back in a way that will touch every Pratt student.” the learning experience we provide our students.”
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ratt Institute held its inaugural scholarship luncheon on December 9, 2011, at Pratt Manhattan, bringing together 20 donors who have supported endowed scholarships at Pratt and 14 of the Institute’s current and past scholarship recipients who represented programs ranging from Facilities Management and Information and Library Science to Communications Design and Photography. “By helping Pratt attract students who, having already demonstrated the highest level of accomplishment, represent sheer talent, scholarships inspire everyone at Pratt, students and teachers alike, to offer their very best work,” said Bill Hilson, an adjunct professor in Pratt’s Graduate Communications and Package Design department who supports scholarships for students in the department through
The Hilson Family Fund. Emily Hale (B.F.A. Communications Design ’12), recipient of the Herschel Levit Scholarship, also spoke, highlighting how grateful she and her fellow scholarship recipients were for the support they had received. Her sentiments were echoed by luncheon attendee Themba Chirambo (M.S. Facilities Management ’11), recipient of a James W. Atkinson Memorial Scholarship. “Receiving the scholarship, particularly as a foreign student, made me believe in the possibility of getting ahead in my career,” said Chirambo. A native of Zambia, he came to Pratt after earning his undergraduate degree in civil engineering at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia. He is now night facilities manager at the food service, facilities,
JONATHAN WEITZ
PRATT HOSTS FIRST-EVER SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON TO CELEBRATE OUTSTANDING STUDENTS
Left to right: Pratt alumni and scholarship donors Betsy Lewin (B.F.A. Graphic Arts/Illustration ’59) and Ted Lewin (B.F.A. Illustration ’56), Pratt parent and scholarship donor Anastasia Corvo (P ’88), and scholarship recipient Kevin Truong (Photography ’13)
and clothing provider Aramark Corporation, which offered him a position while he was still a graduate student at Pratt.