John and Ann Doerr’s generous donation to Rice University will change lives.
Houston Chronicle
May 14, 2015
The iconic, rose-colored bricks of Rice University are dotted with the names of exceptionally generous donors: Baker, Brochstein, Brown, Duncan and McNair, to name a few. Today another family adds its name to the list, while raising the bar of giving to what arguably is the pinnacle of higher education in Texas.
Rice President David Leebron will announce this morning the largest nominal gift in the history of the university, $50 million for the Doerr Institute for New Leaders. The Doerrs are Rice alumni Ann and John Doerr, longtime donors to their alma mater.
Leadership has been on Leebron’s mind since moving here 11 years ago. In his inaugural speech as Rice’s president, he noted that the job of any university should be to produce leaders. That duty is now on the shoulders of retired Brig. Gen. Tom Kolditz, designated director of the new institute. The vision is for each Rice student to have the ability to take advantage of custom-made programs and personal coaches.
This gift comes at a crucial time in the transformation of higher education. The cost of obtaining degrees has skyrocketed, causing some families to wonder whether college is a good investment. Tens of thousands of recent graduates have found themselves on the unemployment line or stranded in jobs that don’t require the time and energy demanded at four-year institutions. The dropout rate in many colleges is unacceptably high. And in the digital age, many students gravitate to less expensive online alternatives.
Higher education must embrace innovation in order to stay relevant. While continuing to offer classroom instruction with excellent faculty, leading universities must also help students develop the skills required for success after graduation. Employers seek graduates with both foundational knowledge and skills such as problem-solving, teamwork and emotional intelligence.
Traditional knowledge-based education has resulted in academic silos as represented by various departments and specialized degree qualifications. Education based on the development of lifetime skills, such as leadership, requires cross-disciplinary learning
Rice has been around for only a century, far less than some of the Ivy League institutions with which it competes. In the future, that competition will reward innovation more than pedigree.
John Doerr has led his company to make investments in companies such as Twitter that have been innovative. Ann Doerr’s role as chairman of Khan Academy shows an ability to anticipate trends.
This gift to Rice is innovative, and for that this community should thank Ann and John Doerr.