Yale has achieved a new milestone in its mission to rejuvenate its unique residential college system. Major gifts from Yale alumni Lewis B. Cullman '41 B.A. and David W. Wallace '48 B.S. will speed the renovation of Branford College, a 73-year-old structure on the University's central campus.
In May of 1996 Yale President Richard C. Levin announced an $80 million fund drive for renovations of the University's 12 residential colleges under the auspices of the $1.5 billion Yale Campaign. This fund drive was launched after an exhaustive review of the residential college system, in which most of Yale's 5,000 undergraduates live. Berkeley, Branford, Saybrook and Timothy Dwight emerged as the colleges most in need of overhauling. Berkeley is first in line for renovation, followed by Branford.
The contributions from Mr. Cullman and Mr. Wallace are among the largest gifts ever received for Yale's residential colleges. President Levin said, "Mr. Cullman and Mr. Wallace have responded enthusiastically to Yale's request for alumni support of the residential college system. I am grateful for their leadership and remarkable generosity in helping to strengthen a system that is central to the Yale College experience."
A former resident of Branford College, Mr. Cullman pledged his contribution on the occasion of his class's 55th reunion. The gift will be acknowledged and commemorated in perpetuity by naming the southern wing of Branford College along Library Walk as Lewis B. Cullman Hall. Mr. Cullman said, "I am pleased to participate in the rejuvenation of Branford College. This is in keeping with my family tradition and our long relationship with Yale."
A political science major at Yale, Mr. Cullman earned his Master of Science degree from New York University. He is a dedicated alumnus with family ties to Yale that span four generations. Like many in his family, he has a long history of volunteer service and philanthropy to the University. He was a member of the board of directors of the Yale Alumni Fund, and he chaired his 25th and 50th Reunion Gift Committees. He is currently a member of the University's Committee on Planned Giving.
Mr. Cullman is the chief executive officer of Cullman Ventures, Inc., which includes the At-A-Glance Group, manufacturer of calendars and other dated products, and he serves on the board of directors of General American Investors, Inc. In the not-for-profit arena, Mr. Cullman is chair of Chess-In-The-Schools, a program devoted to inner-city children; a board member of the New York Botanical Gardens; and a trustee of the Museum of Modern Art.
In honor of the contribution from Mr. Wallace and his wife, Jean McLean Wallace, the York Street wing of Branford College will be named Wallace Hall. Mr. Wallace said: "Jean and I are honored to make a lasting contribution to the restoration of this magnificent college. I hope that, like me, many future generations of Branford residents will look back to their Yale years with fondness and appreciation. I also hope that alumni worldwide will join us and others in helping to support the University's much-needed building rehabilitation program." The gift was made in advance of Mr. Wallace's 50th reunion.
A 1948 graduate of Yale's School of Engineering, Mr. Wallace received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Harvard University. A member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, he serves as the chair and chief executive officer of Lone Star Industries, a cement producer based in Stamford, Connecticut. Until September of 1995 he was chair of the Putnam Trust Company. At Yale he resided in Branford College and participated in ROTC. He interrupted his college education to serve as an army lieutenant in World War II and was decorated with a Purple Heart. His daughter, Anne Wallace Juge, is a cum-laude 1985 graduate of Yale College.
Mr. Wallace has extensive experience reviving financially troubled corporations, and he has held positions as chair or CEO for the National Securities and Research Corporation, United Brands, Bangor-Punta, Piper Aircraft and Todd Shipyards. He has served on the boards of directors of Eastern Airlines, SCM Corporation and Alleghany Corporation. In addition, he is a director of Northstar Funds, Emigrant Savings Bank and Zurn Industries.
He also is president and trustee of the Robert R. Young Foundation, which makes grants for programs in education, higher education, health care and youth services; a member of the board of governors of the New York Hospital; and a trustee of The Greenwich Hospital.
Branford College was opened in 1933 in buildings originally constructed in 1923 as the Harkness Memorial Quadrangle. The granite and limestone structure, designed by architect James Gamble Rogers, encloses a series of courtyards and passageways with a strong neo-Gothic flavor. Branford offers living, study, recreational and dining space to approximately 300 Yale undergraduates.