Martin Tang ’70, trustee emeritus, and his family have donated $3 million to the University to name the Martin Y. Tang Welcome Center and renovate Noyes Lodge on North campus, adjacent to Beebe Lake.
The contribution was made in response to a $3 million challenge grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies — a charity foundation created by Charles F. Feeney ’56, which has donated close to $1 billion to the University in the last four decades, according to the University.
This donation, made by Tang and his sisters, Nadine Tang and Leslie Tang Schilling, in tandem with Atlantic Philanthropies’ completes the $6 million fundraising necessary for the project.
The gift will allow for the renovation and repurposing of the existing space in Noyes Lodge. The Language Resource Center, which is currently in located in Noyes Lodge, will be relocated to Stimson Hall, leaving room for the new building will house a welcome center and display an exhibit featuring Cornell’s history, mission, and values.
JMZ Architects and Planners, PC, will design the welcome center and be in charge of the project, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2018, according to the University.
Interim President Hunter Rawlings indicated that the gift will aim to better serve the numerous visitors to Cornell’s Ithaca campus every year.
“Cornell has long needed a welcome center to serve the tens of thousands of people who visit the Ithaca campus each year,” Rawlings said. “I can’t think of a better name to have on this building than that of Martin Tang, an exemplary Cornell citizen.”
Tang’s role as an alumnus has been extensive. The donor was the longest-serving international trustee — a position he occupied since 1994 — and was a leader in rebuilding the Cornell Club of Hong Kong, according to the University.
Tang also spearheaded the creation of “the Martin Y. Tang International Scholarship Challenge to encourage others to establish endowed scholarships” for his “Cornell Now” campaign commitment which ended in 2015, the release said.
In the past, Tang has provided financial support for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the College of Engineering, Cornell Library, Milstein Hall, Student and Campus Life and many other areas throughout the University.