SU to use donation to create endowed chair in engineering and computer science

SYRACUSE — A 1980 graduate has made a donation to Syracuse University (SU) that is “designed to be transformative” for school’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS) “and the region.” The donation from William (Ted) Frantz will establish the William T. Frantz Endowed Chair in Engineering and Computer Science, SU said in its Dec. 20 announcement.  The school will partially match the donation through the Forever Orange Faculty Excellence Program. SU didn’t disclose the dollar amount of the Frantz donation. Frantz earned an undergraduate degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from SU’s ECS. He has donated annually to the school “for many years,” SU noted. “The idea for this gift has been simmering for nearly 20 years,” Frantz said in the SU announcement.  The engineer-turned-investor — who has studied and invested in many promising concepts and companies — says his newest investment in ECS as part of the Forever Orange campaign was a “matter of just-the-right timing,” SU said. “The timing is ideal, coming on the heels of Micron Technology’s $100 billion commitment to the region,” Frantz said, noting the partnership opportunities between the technology company and SU are a “boon” for students, faculty and the wider community. “It’s a great time to invest in the University, the expansion of the engineering program and in the region. These things tend to build on each other.”  Frantz draws similarities to the success of Silicon Valley, where he once worked for Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) “I witnessed the growth of Silicon Valley and how nearby universities like Stanford, Berkeley and Santa Clara provided the intellectual expertise, engineering and research,” he says.  Forward-looking investors seized opportunities brought about by the region’s dynamic partnerships and ingenuity, he added. Investing in new ideas has always held appeal for Frantz, who has provided capital for companies exploring new computer technologies and biotech firms developing new therapeutics for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and other diseases, SU said.  “It’s the challenge of seeing something grow and make a go of it, get off the ground and get bigger,” Frantz said. “Ted is a visionary in his approach to philanthropy,” Cole Smith, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science, said in the SU announcement. “His background as both an engineer and investor allows him to look far into the future, to see where technology and creativity can take the next generation of engineers and computer scientists. His generosity is literally helping us shape the future of our program as we address the challenges facing our globe.”