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New York City
May 2003

New School Announces $7 Million Gift from Sheila C. Johnson

New School University President Bob Kerrey and Parsons School of Design Dean, H. Randolph Swearer, recently announced the largest single gift in Parsons’ 107-year history. Sheila C. Johnson, co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, has donated $7 million to create a new center of innovation for Parsons, providing students with the kind of technology and access to advanced knowledge that will enable them to push the boundaries of design. The project will redefine a major Parsons’ gallery, classrooms, and public spaces, making it possible for students and faculty to better share their efforts with the local and global community.

“We’re overwhelmed and truly excited about this generous donation to Parsons School of Design, the largest division of the New School University,” said Bob Kerrey, President of the New School University. “This kind of gift helps us to maintain our leading position in design education, just as Parsons’ students continue to set new precedents in design.”

Dean Swearer added, “Sheila Johnson understands implicitly the function and form of good design. Her visionary gift is a major step towards our future, securing our position to educate designers for generations to come.”

A member of the Board of Governors at Parsons since 2002, Ms. Johnson made this grant to reflect her belief in the School’s mission to provide unparalleled art and design education.

“Through my involvement with Parsons, I’ve found that the School strives to provide the best opportunities for young designers,” said Johnson. “Parsons understands that educating young artists is vitally important to our growth as a society, both economically and aesthetically. Knowing that my gift is instrumental in this process is a gift in itself.”

Johnson’s high profile contribution is the most recent in a series of donations that are a result of Parson’s initiatives to enhance its programs and facilities, increase its visibility, and to attract new levels of financial support. In the past two years, private donations have nearly tripled, with major grants coming from donors such as the Donna Karan/Stephan Weiss Foundation and the Angelo Donghia Foundation.

Entrepreneur, teacher, and philanthropist, Sheila C. Johnson has worn many hats with great success. As the co-founder of Black Entertainment Television, the main provider of African American cable television, Johnson helped build the high-rated cable network into a media powerhouse. Currently, Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Salamander Development, LLC, where she is involved in every detail of creating Salamander Inn & Spa, a 40-room inn and spa on 350 acres in Middleburg, Virginia, slated to open in 2004.

An accomplished violinist and music educator, Johnson formed the internationally recognized “Youth Strings in Action” ensemble, a 140-member ensemble for students between the ages of 3-18. She also wrote Young Strings in Action, a textbook detailing her musical teaching methods, which is still used in many schools around the United States.

Johnson’s recent gifts in the area of arts education include the development of the Sheila C. Johnson Performing Arts Center at the Hill School, a state-of-the-art facility designed to support children’s art education, in her local community of Middleburg, VA. Johnson also serves on the board of the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children and has served on the board of Carnegie Hall. She is also the President of the Washington International Horse Show.#

 

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