The original $1.6 million gift is the largest cash gift ever received by UB or any other college or university in the SUNY system in which the funds were immediately available for use. The latest gift will allow the program to recruit students to enter UB as freshmen in Fall 1997 for a third round of scholarships.

The donor cited the excellent students who have been recruited and his pleasure with the overall way in which the program has been run as motivations for making the additional gift.

"I am extremely pleased with the University at Buffalo's Honors Program and the Distinguished Honors Scholars Program," he added. "Seeing my gift used to help such outstanding students in what is clearly a challenging yet nurturing program is extremely gratifying. My hope is that through the Distinguished Honors Scholars Program, I can continue to assist the best and brightest students who face overwhelming financial odds. These are students who want the enriching undergraduate educational experience of working with world-class faculty who are available only at a diverse research university. I would like to see the University at Buffalo become the natural choice for these leading students from throughout the nation."

Eleven freshmen were awarded Distinguished Honors Scholarships in Fall 1995. Their average combined verbal and math SAT score is 1469 out of 1600. Four were National Merit Semifinalists, two were winners. The initial gift also provided support for a second class of Distinguished Honors freshmen to enter UB in Fall 1996.

"We place a very high priority on recruiting more of the country's most competitive, most talented students and giving those students a varied, challenging, rich undergraduate experience within the setting of a public research university," said President William R. Greiner.

"Thanks to the ongoing support and thoughtfulness of this donor, we can offer such students the academic excellence to which we are committed and the full financial support that their level of skill and accomplishment so fully justifies.

"That's a lasting and powerful way to further the achievements of our best and brightest young people," Greiner added. "UB is proud and very, very pleased to have the chance, through this donor's kindness, to do so."

Ronald H. Stein, vice president for university advancement and development noted, "The generosity of this donor is testimony to the excellence we strive for in all that we do. His support also demonstrates the power of private philanthropy where gifts, no matter what the size, come together to provide the resources needed to keep UB one of the premier public universities in the country."