CANTON, N.Y. — Actor Kirk Douglas and his wife, Anne, are donating $2 million to St. Lawrence University to further endow scholarships and to help maintain a residence hall named after the actor.
Douglas, 99, graduated from St. Lawrence nearly 77 years ago.
Through the Douglas Foundation, the couple has donated a total of $7 million to St. Lawrence since 2012, the university said in a news release.
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This latest gift designates $1 million to the Kirk Douglas Scholarship fund, established in 1999. In addition, the donation includes $1 million to endow the improvement, repair, maintenance, and operation of Kirk Douglas Hall, a 155-bed residence hall that opened in 2014.
The Douglases in 2012 contributed $5 million specifically for the Kirk Douglas Scholarship fund, the school said.
St. Lawrence selects two Douglas Scholars each year from underrepresented and low-income backgrounds.
The school picks the scholarship recipients based on their “demonstrated leadership skills, ambition and potential to contribute to diversity with the campus community,” according to the news release.
St. Lawrence then provides mentoring; a loan-free education including required textbooks; and a “guaranteed” experiential learning opportunity that could be an internship, research fellowship, or other “self-designed opportunity.”
St. Lawrence currently has six Douglas Scholars who come from Schenectady and New York City, along with California, Illinois, Maryland, and Minnesota.
“We are immensely grateful for Kirk and Anne’s continued commitment to St. Lawrence,” William Fox, president of St. Lawrence University, said in the release. “This most recent gift will increase access for cohorts of deserving young scholars and enrich the St. Lawrence experience for many more students.”
Douglas, who grew up in Amsterdam, New York, graduated from St. Lawrence University in 1939 with a degree in English.
As a student, Douglas was president of the student-government organization and a member of the wrestling team and German club, the university said. He also participated in dramatic productions on campus.
St. Lawrence University awarded Douglas an honorary degree in 1958, according to the news release.
Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
