Annenberg Public Policy Center

Endowing a New Generation of Leaders

When Leonore Annenberg, a former Chief of Protocol of the United States and wife of Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, passed away in 2009 at the age of 91, she left a large legacy of philanthropic works from her eight-year leadership of the Annenberg Foundation. Many of the grants, dedicated to large-scale educational programs, arts organizations and institutions, and other civic enterprises, were made with little or no fanfare. For one of her last gifts, however -- a three-pronged initiative spread over 10 years -- she was especially pleased to attach her name: The Leonore Annenberg College Scholarship Fund, The Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund in the Performing and Visual Arts, and The Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children. The three Funds, which are administered by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, offer grants and scholarships to young people who possess the potential to become the cultural and community leaders of the next generation. Nominations are made, on an invitation-only basis, by partner organizations with a longstanding relationship to the donor. All grants are approved by a Selection Council consisting of philanthropy executives and the leaders of Annenberg-named organizations and institutions.
Unsolicited requests are not entertained.

This year, the Leonore Annenberg College Scholarship Fund awarded scholarships to five students from Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Houston, and rural Vermont. (Students who were selected last year, 2008, will be attending Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago and Tufts University this fall.) The all-expense scholarships cover tuition and fees, room and board, books, a laptop, as well as a modest stipend.

In its first year, the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund in the Performing and Visual Arts provided 10 grants totaling $1.5 million. The fellowship recipients are already living up to Leonore Annenberg’s hope that they would serve as leaders in their fields and role models to the nation’s young people.

Cohort 1 Leonore Annenberg college scholarship recipients (from L to R): Areej Hassan, Brittany Blythe, Candace Hensley, Joivonnah Childs, Chevon Boone, Shiyah Trotman
Photo by Kyle Cassidy

Actress Nicole Beharie, who stars in the independent film American Violet (released April 2009 and now available on DVD and Blu-ray), has focused not only on her blossoming career but also on her personal development. Beharie participated in a three-week project in Durban, South Africa, teaching theatre, poetry and singing to children with HIV/AIDS, in association with A-STEP and Broadway Cares. Reviews of American Violet have referred to Beharie as "exceptional," an actress "whose magnetic air is arresting," and a "terrific newcomer" who delivers a "riveting portrayal" of protagonist Dee Roberts.

The press has offered praise for other performing and visual arts fellowship recipients as well:

American Ballet Theater soloist Misty Copeland performed lead roles in "Le Corsaire" and in Paul Taylor’s "Airs" and George Balanchine’s "Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux" during ABT’s spring season. Described by Time Out New York as "distinguished by her elegant rigor in classical ballets, natural affinity for more contemporary dances and, of late, a sparkling aptitude for acting," Copeland also appears in pop star Prince’s new "Crimson and Clover" music video.

On her performance at Carnegie Hall in "Celebrating Marilyn Horne," the New York Times said mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard’s "sultry style and agile coratura were ideal for Rossini’s ‘Canzonetta Spagnuola.’"On her performance in the Forth Worth Opera’s rendition of "Cinderella": "Isabel Leonard and Michele Angelini lead the way as Cinderella and her Prince Charming, impressively handling Rossini’s florid vocal lines with voices that are as attractive as they are flexible." Leonard was described as "the Cinderella of dreams . . . She can string out the most delicate high pianissimo and then let loose vocal fireworks to take your breath away."

Actor André Holland, who, according to a review in the Denver Post, gave "a lively turn as second baseman Brad Johnson" in the movie Sugar, was described as "charismatic" and "impressive," and his performance last season was "consistently amusing as blues guitarist Jeremy Furlow" in "Joe Turner’s Come and Gone." He is currently appearing in the acclaimed production of Tarell Alvin McCraney's "Brother/Sister Plays" at the Public Theater in New York City.

Jeremy Strong, who had a lead role opposite Frank Langella in the Broadway revival of "A Man for All Seasons," starred in an off-Broadway production, "Our House," by playwright Theresa Rebeck, and is now playing opposite Liv Tyler, Anna Paquin, Elijah Wood, and others in the movie The Romantics.

Finally, in April 2009, the Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children awarded grants totaling $800,000 to eight underserved elementary schools across the country for books, computers and playground equipment. The funds have helped to catalyze positive changes both within the schools and in the surrounding communities, including new literacy and mentor programs to benefit local youth and their families.

Photo credit (from L to R): E. Jason Wambsgans, Jordan Matter, Liz Linder, Eduardo Patino

The 2009 recipients were selected this spring. They are:

The Leonore Annenberg College Scholarship Fund

Recipient	High School
Asdy Wan	J. R. Masterman High School, Philadelphia, PA
Camila Diaz	Bronx Center for Science and Mathematics, Bronx, NY
Lydia Ducharme	Haven Union School, Hardwick, VT
Juan Hernandez	John H. Reagan High School, Houston, TX
Faith Zeng	Boston Latin School Boston, MA

The Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund in the Performing and Visual Arts

Recipient	Art Form	Sponsoring Organization
Caleb Burhans	Music	Eastman School of Music (University of Rochester)
Jonathan Martin	Drama	Tisch School of the Arts (New York University
Angel Otero	Visual Arts (Painting)	School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Constance Stamatiou	Dance	Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

The Leonore Annenberg School Fund for Children

School Name and Location	Resource to be acquired
David G. Burnet Elementary School, Houston, TX	Multimedia technology
Spring Branch Elementary School, Houston, TX	Interactive science laboratory
CS 300 X: The School of Learning and Applied Science, Bronx, NY	Music program
PS 123 K: The Suydam School, Brooklyn, NY	Arts/Media Center
St. Paul Elementary School, Summerton, SC	Computer-based math programs
Summerton Early Childhood Center, Summerton, SC	Computer-based math programs; afterschool program
General John F. Reynolds Elementary School, Philadelphia, PA	Computer equipment for 19 classrooms
Lorah Park Elementary School, Miami, FL	Science Laboratory and Greenhouse

We would like to thank our partner organizations: Boston Plan for Excellence in the Public Schools; Center for Arts Education (N.Y.C.); Council for Educational Change (Fla.); Houston A+ Challenge; New Visions for Public Schools (N.Y.C.); Philadelphia Futures for Youth; and Rural School and Community Trust.

Program Staff

Gail Levin, Director
Joanne Cemini, Program Associate
Nicole Saunders, Program Associate

Leonore Annenberg

© Douglas Kirkland

Leonore Annenberg (1918-2009) served as U.S. Chief of Protocol during the first term of the administration of Ronald Reagan, a position that carries the rank of ambassador. She spent most of her life working toward the enhancement of cultural appreciation among American citizens. She was a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a member of the Acquisitions Committee and the Visiting Committee to the Department of European Paintings. She was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Trustee's Council of The National Gallery of Art, one of the managing directors of The Metropolitan Opera, honorary president of the American Friends of The British Museum, and honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Arts. Mrs. Annenberg was a member of the boards of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, and a member of the Academy of Music Committee. A past president and honorary trustee of the Palm Springs Desert Museum, she was also an honorary trustee of The Performing Arts Council of the Los Angeles Music Center and an honorary board member of the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace Foundation. She was a member of The Distinguished Daughters of Pennsylvania, a trustee of the University of Pennsylvania, and a member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mrs. Annenberg founded the American Friends of Covent Garden and served as chairman of the Foundation of Art and Preservation in Embassies. In addition, she was a member of The Committee for the Preservation of The White House. Mrs. Annenberg was married for 51 years to the late Walter H. Annenberg, publisher, philanthropist, and art collector, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Britain from 1969 to 1974. She succeeded her late husband as chairman and president of the Annenberg Foundation, and continued to donate to worthy causes in the fields of education, the arts, health, and civic affairs. She was a charter member of the Board of Overseers of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, and a founding member of the governing boards of the Annenberg Schools for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Southern California.

Mrs. Annenberg graduated from Stanford University in 1940 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She received the Cavaliere Dell'Ordine "Al Merito Della Republica Italiana" (1961); the Grand Officio Order of Orange-Nassau from the Netherlands (1981); the Wagner Medal for Public Service from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service at New York University; the Colonial Williamsburg Churchill Bell Award (1993); the National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts (1992); the University of Pennsylvania Medal for Distinguished Achievement (1994); the Crystal Award from the Union League of Philadelphia (2001); the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy (2001); the Pat Nixon Ambassador of Goodwill Award (2002); the Collaborative Partnership Award from Foundations, Inc. (2002); the United Nations Association Global Leadership Award (2005); and the 2006 Philadelphia Award. Mrs. Annenberg was awarded honorary doctorate degrees from Pine Manor College (1982), the University of Pennsylvania (1985), LaSalle University (1987), Brown University (1994), the University of Southern California (1998) and Brandeis University (1999).

In 2007, Mrs. Annenberg established the Scholarship and School Funds program that bears her name. The 10-year initiative offers grants and scholarships to young people who possess the potential to become the cultural and community leaders of the next generation.