Graduate's Donation Funds New KSG Chair

A $1.75 million donation will fund the establishment of a chair at the Kennedy School of Government (KSG) for a "world-class scholar interested in the areas of democracy, responsible government, national security, foreign policy, politics and social policy," officials announced Jan. 25.

The chair will be called the Scott M. Black Professorship, in honor of the 1971 Harvard Business School graduate who donated $1.75 million of the chair's $2.5 million cost.

Black gave the school unusually few restrictions in filling the chair.

"The particularly nice thing about this chair is that Scott has left us a lot of leeway to pick the best person, someone who will help to further our major missions," KSG Dean Joseph S. Nye said.

"The fact that this chair is very broad and very open will allow the dean to select and recruit the most distinguished person depending on what the needs of the department," said Senior Associate Dean for External Affairs Holly T. Sargent '78-'80.

Sargent said that the school has not yet decided what type of scholar to place in the post and that the search process is still a couple of years away.

A faculty committee will be appointed to start the search as soon as the KSG receives half of the funding for the chair.

Black, who described himself as moderate to liberal, did stipulate that the professor should have a "balanced ideology."

"I want to make sure that this is someone who is a patriotic American but is also sensitive to the fact that there are minorities, single mothers and children," he said.

Black said he gave the endowment to the KSG because he has had positive experiences there since he graduated from the Business School. He lives in Brookline and frequents lectures and discussions at the KSG.

Black has also endowed a chair at Johns Hopkins University, where he received his undergraduate degree.

"It's very simple," Black said. "If the university is good to you and you have the financial means, then I believe you should give back to the university."

Black has donated to many charities and is involved with the Democratic Party.

The gift was announced at a small dinner in Black's honor, to which only close friends and family and several faculty members were invited.

Nye, Dillon Professor of Government Graham T. Allison '62 and Julie B. Wilson, associate academic dean and secretary of the KSG, all spoke at the ceremony.