Journalism giant and Sarah Lawrence College alumna Barbara Walters is donating $15 million to her alma mater to establish The Barbara Walters Campus Center. The gift, according to a statement released by the college, is the largest single donation in the 89-year history of the school located in Bronxville, N.Y.
“When I donated my archives to Sarah Lawrence last year, I told the graduating class at commencement that at Sarah Lawrence I learned to ask questions,” said Walters, a noted broadcast journalist and author. “I attribute my success, in many ways, to the curiosity and confidence I came away with from this remarkable college. Today I am pleased to be able to make The Barbara Walters Campus Center a reality for future generations of Sarah Lawrence students.”
The center will feature social and academic spaces, lounges, dining facilities, the college’s radio station, a media innovation lab, areas for career services and student clubs. It also will permanently house the Barbara Walters archives and the Barbara Walters Gallery.
“This remarkable woman has changed the face of broadcast news by establishing her unique genre of the investigative, long-form interview,” said President Karen R. Lawrence in making the announcement. “She is a powerful role model for our students, and we deeply appreciate her generosity, her vision, and her many contributions to the college.”
