University Times

USX to give $2.75 million for CAS and engineering

The USX Foundation has pledged $2.75 million to support programs in Pitt's School of Engineering and College of Arts and Sciences (CAS).

Pitt will use the funds to establish the USX Corporation Dean's Chair in the engineering school, to support a metallurgy fellowship in the school, and for the CAS endowment. The USX Foundation grants will be payable over five years.

The University's Board of Trustees voted last month to use the first installment of $500,000 to create the Dean's Chair endowment. Unlike traditional endowed chairs, which typically support scholarly or research efforts of one individual, income from the Dean's Chair endowment will be used as a dean's discretionary fund to support engineering school programs and projects.

Also at last month's board meeting, trustees:

* Established the Samuel L. Lefkowitz Quasi-Endowed Scholarship in the School of Pharmacy, to be funded with income from a $34,341 bequest by Lefkowitz's widow. The fund will provide scholarships to financially needy pharmacy students.

* Created the Mary C. Siemer Quasi-Endowed Scholarship Fund in the School of Social Work, to be funded with income from a $576,627 bequest by Siemer. The fund will provide scholarships to social work students. Siemer earned a master's in social work at Pi tt in 1941.

* Elected Herbert P. Douglas Jr. a special trustee for the 1998-2002 term. Douglas is president emeritus of the International Amateur Athletic Association, Inc., and founder of the Jesse Owens International Trophy Award and the Jesse Owens Global Award in memory of the Olympic track and field medalist. Douglas himself won a bronze medal in the long jump at the 1948 London Olympic Games. He came to Pitt on a football scholarship in 1945 and earned his bachelor's degree in science and master's degree in edu cation here. He held Pitt's long jump record for 23 years.

In 1963, Douglas joined Schieffelin & Co. (now called Schieffelin & Somerset) where he became only the third African American to reach the level of vice president of a major North American corporation.

— Bruce Steele