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Stanford Receives $150 Million Gift to Fight World Poverty

Stanford Receives $150 Million Gift to Fight World Poverty
11/7/2011
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Suada Kolovic

With the economy in a slump, debt-ridden college students aren’t alone in their financial struggles. Colleges and universities nationwide – who’ve had a fair share in creating insurmountable amounts of debt for the majority of students – have struggled to attract potential donors as concerns about volatile markets remain. Stanford University, however, may be the exception: A local philanthropist and his wife have donated $150 million to establish an institute aimed at alleviating global poverty.

The gift from Robert and Dorothy King includes a $100 million grant to start the Stanford Institute on Innovation in Developing Economies, which will be known as Seed. The new center will be housed in the business school and will conduct research, coordinate courses in social entrepreneurship and design, and oversee projects worldwide to alleviate poverty. "We know there are people out there who can make this world a better place, and we want to get behind them," Mr. King, a venture investor and philanthropist in Menlo Park, Calif., said in a YouTube video about the institute. The remaining $50 million will be set aside to encourage donations to Stanford programs that tackle poverty and, if all funds are matched, the total could reach $200 million.

What do you think of Mr. and Mrs. King’s donation to Stanford and not those in need directly? Is this a step in the right direction or not?

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