Haverford College Receives $10 Million Gift from Jaharis Family Foundation, Inc.

Haverford College President Daniel H. Weiss today announced a $10 million gift from the Jaharis Family Foundation, Inc.; $8 million to completely transform the facilities for music on campus, and $2 million to endow the Haverford Student Loan Debt Relief Fund.

With the $8 million gift, the Jaharis family and Haverford are launching the Jaharis Leadership Music Challenge to support a new music center. Currently, Haverford's music program, which also serves Bryn Mawr College, spreads across two different buildings—one houses classrooms, study and rehearsal spaces, the other houses the College's auditorium and additional practice rooms. Neither facility meets the current—and growing—needs of the more than 60-year-old music program

Funds raised through the Challenge will finance the renovation of Roberts Hall, bringing the music program together in one centralized location at the heart of Haverford's campus. The overhaul of Roberts will include the construction of a new addition housing a recital hall for small and large performances, and will create state-of-the-art music classrooms and rehearsal spaces, as well as a dynamic music library.

“The transformation of Roberts Hall marks a significant milestone in the history of Haverford's music program,” says Richard Freedman, the John C. Whitehead Professor of Humanities and a member of the Music Department faculty.“The Jaharis family's generous gift will help us build a home for serious study and musical encounters that will serve the entire Bi-College and broader arts loving community.”

Designed as a matching campaign, the Jaharis Leadership Music Challenge seeks to raise an additional $4 million, above the $8 million, to cover construction costs. The Foundation will match all cash gifts to the challenge two to one, until its $8 million gift is exhausted.

The balance of the Jaharis family's gift will establish the Haverford Student Loan Debt Relief fund, an innovative program to help students who graduate from Haverford with modest tuition debt. A response to the college's recent modification of its“no-loan” policy, the $2 million fund is one of only a few such programs nationwide to aid undergraduates with their student loan payments. It is focused on helping young alumni who are employed in jobs of high social value with low remuneration, or who are in transition at some point following graduation.

Says Steven M. Jaharis, M.D. '82, a primary care physician in Chicago and longtime donor to Haverford College,“Haverford continues to be a priority for our family because Haverford continues to have a profound impact on communities worldwide. Easing the burden of student debt will enable Haverford alumni to do more, for more people, in more ways. We are also proud to support the performing arts on campus through our challenge gift that will lead to the transformation of Roberts Hall and Haverford's music facilities. As my classmates know, music has been a passion for me since childhood, and I am happy to help current and future generations of Haverford students experience the joy of music creation and performance in facilities worthy of their skill and ambition.”

The recent gift is the latest example of the Jaharis family's sustained generosity to the College. In 2009, the foundation gave $10 million to help build the first new dormitory at Haverford since 1968.

This $10 million contribution is the second lead gift to be announced since the public launch of Lives That Speak: The Campaign for Haverford in October.

Learn more about Haverford's commitment to access and affordability.