Highlighted Philanthropists
Veronica Atkins
Atkins is one of the top fifty most generous philanthropists. Newsweek also proclaimed her part of the “All-Star Team" in philanthropy.
Naveen Jain
Jain has been named one of the Top 20 Entrepreneurs by Red Herring, recognized for winning the Albert Einstein Technology Medal Winner, and received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007.
George Soros
The Soros Foundations are an international network of local, Soros-founded foundations promoting sociopolitical activities.
Kenneth Langone
In 1978, he partnered with Bernard Marcus and Arthur Blank to found Home Depot, which today is one of the largest and most successful chains in the home improvement industry. He has contributed almost $150 million dollars to various charities.
Michael Dell
Michael Dell was born in Houston, Texas. When he was fifteen, he took apart his first computer, an Apple II and then rebuilt it. After high school, Dell attended The University of Texas - Austin, where he studied biology. He started a computer company in his Dobie dorm room, which was the beginning of Dell, Inc.
- Michael and his wife Susan established the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. The foundation has an endowment of over one billion dollars, and funds initiatives and programs that promote public health and community for children.
- The University of Texas - Austin has received a $50 million grant from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation to promote excellence in children’s health and education. The gift is to be used for 3 new facilities at UT-Austin. These facilities are for the Dell Pediatric Research Institute, the Dell Computer Science Hall, and the Michael and Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living.
- The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation has also award $9 million in grants to help fund Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (T-STEM) Academies and Centers. These programs will share best practices through the T-STEM network and enable schools to have access to professional development, curriculum and lesson plans.