Praxair’s Corporate Philanthropy Benefits UB’s Engineering and Management Schools

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Praxair Inc., a global supplier of industrial gases that has operations in Tonawanda, has pledged $600,000 to the University at Buffalo -- $400,000 for the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and $200,000 for the School of Management and its Executive MBA Program in China. Payments will be made over a period of five years.

Praxair has long enjoyed a close relationship with the university, through the more than 220 alumni currently employed by the company, financial support for university causes, business alliances and technical collaborations.

"We are pleased to continue to help the university enhance its academic, service and teaching roles," said Steven L. Lerner, Ph.D., vice president of research and development for Praxair. "The university is a vital part of the local community, the state's outstanding higher-education system and the worldwide research community in several important areas."

Mark H. Karwan, dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, noted: "Praxair is a philanthropic corporate leader that understands the importance of its role in the support of public research universities.

"UB values Praxair's financial and intellectual generosity and the good business sense that truly creates a win-win for all of us," Karwan added.

Praxair's gift to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will support a variety of projects, including a Praxair seminar series in several engineering departments, a seminar series in the Department of Chemistry, Industry-University Day and undergraduate student club activities, and will supplement a graduate-student fellowship in chemical engineering. Praxair executives hope that these activities and the fellowship, in particular, will help attract talented minorities to the engineering profession.

Of the annual sum, $45,000 will be used to help build strength in various areas of research proficiency. The first year's support will focus on the area of multidisciplinary optimization led by Christina L. Bloebaum, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

In the past, Praxair has sponsored Industry-University Day, faculty research, encouraged its executives to sit on the dean's advisory councils and participated in various seminar, internship and mentoring programs.

Praxair's gift to the School of Management tops an equally long history of support and donations. The $200,000 grant will go to the school's Executive MBA program at Renmin University in Beijing. Praxair has aided the school with its educational efforts in China since 1995, providing funding for the creation of the Renmin program and contributing to the upgrade of classroom technologies there.

"Praxair's generosity has helped the UB School of Management become the most famous business school in China," says Lewis Mandell, dean of the management school. "We count among our alumni there some of the top executives within China's developing economy."

The school's Renmin program graduated its first class in the fall, presenting UB diplomas to 49 students who traveled to Buffalo for a graduation ceremony. Currently, more than 80 Chinese executives are enrolled in the program, which has been designated by the Chinese Ministry of Education as one of the best in China. More than 450 students have graduated from UB's MBA programs in China since 1986.

With seven joint ventures and six wholly owned companies in China, Praxair considers UB's Renmin EMBA program to be an important part of its efforts to grow business in Asia, says Paul J. Bilek executive vice president of worldwide operations at Praxair.

"We believe that investment in the future business leaders of China is one of the best investments ever made," said Bilek, who earned his MBA in 1974 from UB.

Bilek added: "These students are one of the most valuable resources that China has for the development of its economy, as well as continued enhancement of China's position in world commerce."

Praxair's gifts are part of UB's $250 million campaign, the largest ever conducted by a public university in New York and New England. Although it's the fifth major fund-raising campaign conducted by UB, it's the first national/international campaign, the first university-wide campaign and the first to be alumni-driven with campaign volunteer leaders from all over the country. Funds raised will be used to enrich academic programs, support students ranging from undergraduates to post-doctoral students and to enhance university life.

For information on how you can support the University at Buffalo, go to http://www.buffalo.edu/giving.