Schnitzer family donates ‘landmark' $25M to University of Oregon global studies program
The donation was led by Portland real estate developer, and UO alumnus, Jordan Schnitzer along with the Harlod & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation — marking the largest-ever commitment to UO's College of Arts and Sciences.
With the $25 million, the school is launching advancements in global education and research, while aiming to become one of the top schools for international studies.'The challenges facing our world today are vast and complex,' UO President Karl Scholz said. 'Solutions will require bold ideas, cross-disciplinary collaboration and thoughtful dialogue. This incredible gift from the Schnitzer family will be a powerful catalyst, empowering our faculty, students and staff to address these critical issues. We are deeply grateful for this partnership, which strengthens the UO's role as a trailblazer in fostering critical inquiry, logical reasoning, effective communication, creative action and ethical leadership on a global scale.'
In recognition of the investment, University of Oregon's School of Global Studies and Languages will be renamed the Schnitzer School of Global Studies and Languages.
The school said the investment will help students 'tackle the world's most challenging problems,' in part, by funding the new Center for Global Futures. The school describes the center as a hub for scholars and experts dedicated to understanding and educating others on ways to address challenges around the world.
Other initiatives supported by the Schnitzer donation include lectures from renowned speakers discussing topics of global significance, annual conferences, a visiting scholars-in-residence program for scholars, experts and international journalists to collaborate on 'cutting-edge research' and the Harold Schnitzer Scholar Prize, to honor excellence in global research.
'At this moment of world history, the importance of the school cannot be overstated,' said Aneesh Aneesh, a professor of global studies and executive director of the Schnitzer School. 'Caught between the forces of globalization and still-resilient communal loyalties, every society is facing contradictory pulls on its social fabric. Whether graduates of the Schnitzer School are employed in foreign service, NGOs, think tanks, global businesses or the public sector, they will help light up the path forward in a divided world. They will be our contribution to the global public good.'
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The donation will additionally help the program create a new major in international relations, offer awards to attract and retain faculty in global studies and languages, and support a tenure-track senior scholar. The funds will also support graduate students' research and teaching and will grow the doctoral student population at the Schnitzer School.
The donation from Harold and Arlene Schnitzer — and their son Jordan Schnitzer — adds to the family's philanthropic legacy, including support for UO. Jordan previously gifted a renovation to UO's art museum, which was later renamed the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.
'We are delighted that the school will be named in honor of the Schnitzer family, given their long commitment to social causes, philanthropy, and business,' said Chris Poulsen, the Tykeson Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. 'Their investment will be transformative for the new school and will make possible new global experiences and engagement for our students and faculty.'
'Today, it does not matter what business you're in or who you work for. It's a global world,' Jordan Schnitzer said. 'This world is facing challenges that we have not seen for decades. I do not have the answers to eliminate hunger or end religious, ethnic or political disputes. What I do know is that we need young leaders who are prepared to make the world a better place.'
The Schnitzer School will still be based in Friendly Hall on the university's Eugene campus after a major renovation, which is slated to begin in late summer.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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