UC San Diego Donors Honored
by National Philanthropic Organization
Longtime university supporters Miriam
and Jerome Katzin and Amylin Pharmaceuticals
to be recognized at November 14 National Philanthropy Day celebration

November 9, 2007

By Jade Berggren

What do San Diego civic leader and former QUALCOMM director, Jerome Katzin and his wife Miriam, have in common with Amylin Pharmaceuticals?  They are each counted as loyal friends and supporters of the University of California, San Diego.  Over the years, their generous philanthropic gifts have supported a wide range of campus initiatives, from student scholarships and fellowships, to endowed faculty chairs and academic programming.  

Based on their noteworthy contributions to UC San Diego and the community, Amylin Pharmaceuticals and the Katzins will be honored November 14 in celebration of National Philanthropy Day by the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

A Tradition of Philanthropy

The Katzins will be presented with the AFP’s 2007 Outstanding Philanthropist Award.  For three decades, Miriam and Jerome Katzin have ranked among UC San Diego’s closest friends and most steadfast benefactors, leaving their mark on the campus through numerous gifts and years of wise counsel.

 

“Being involved with UCSD challenges my intellectual curiosity and keeps me occupied, and I like being with an organization that I regard as worthwhile.  It fulfills my life,” Katzin explains.

• Dating back to the early 80s, the Katzins helped muster community support for UCSD’s first endowed faculty chair, in Judaic Studies.  The couple has remained a driving force behind the program, now one of the nation’s leading centers for Judaic studies.
• Jerome Katzin was instrumental in advancing the UC San Diego Foundation, serving on the Board of Trustees, which he chaired in 1992-93.
• He more recently served on the steering committee for The Campaign for UCSD, which exceeded its $1 billion fundraising goal by $30 million when it concluded in June 2007.
• During the campaign, the Katzins supported a new campus landmark: the Rebecca and John Moores UCSD Cancer Center, where the Katzin Research Laboratories Tower stands in recognition of their generous gift toward the center’s construction. 

Corporate Responsibility Personified

AFP’s Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation for 2007, Amylin Pharmaceuticals, is renowned for its unwavering commitment to strengthening the community through participation and leadership in charitable, educational, civic, cultural and service initiatives.  Amylin’s strong ties and longstanding generous support of many areas at UC San Diego including The Preuss School, the college prep charter school founded by UCSD and located on the campus, provided the impetus for the award.

• Amylin has established a significant endowment in the Division of Biological Sciences to help recruit an outstanding faculty member and support research efforts in the life sciences.
• Amylin has been a strong supporter of UCSD’s award-winning lecture series, Grey Matters, since its inception, as well as the university’s latest series, Evolution Matters.  Each is designed to bring the excitement of scientific discovery to the public, and to highlight the relevance of faculty research in the areas of neurosciences and evolution, respectively.
• The pharmaceutical company has given significant support to undergraduate scholarships. More than 30 Amylin employees will walk at the UCSD Chancellor’s Challenge 5K Run/Walk for Scholars on November 30 to raise money for undergraduate scholarships.
• Amylin has funded programs to educate Preuss School students and parents about current healthcare issues, including causes and risks of diabetes.
• Amylin’s leadership holds posts in the school’s Founder’s Circle advisory board, while staff members serve as mentors, tutors and career role models for Preuss students.
• Other gifts have included donations to “A Thousand Teachers, A Million Minds"—an initiative designed to quadruple the number of science and math teachers graduating from UCSD.

“By supporting a wide range of science education initiatives at UCSD, Amylin is investing in the cultivation of the next round of human capital, a talent pool which is essential to the future of the life science and high tech industries,” says Julia Brown, advisor to the CEO of Amylin, and a scholarship donor herself.

 

Media Contact: Jade Berggren, 858-822-5309