University Receives $10 Million To Fund Construction of Dorm

Candace Braun

Princeton University alumni Peter and Lynn Wendell, and their friends, Scott Cook and Signe Ostby, have donated $10 million to the school to fund construction on one of the new dormitories in Whitman College.

The L-shaped building, which will house 125 students, will be the largest of seven dormitories in Whitman College. It will be named Wendell Hall, in honor of Mr. Wendell's late parents, Virginia and Eugene Wendell.

"My mother and father loved to visit the Princeton campus," said Mr. Wendell. "I think that they would be so pleased that many generations of students will enjoy living and learning in this Gothic building."

Whitman College will be the first college at the University to be built from the ground up, rather than pieced together. It is designed in a collegiate Gothic style by 1980 University graduate Demetri Porphyrios, a traditional-style architect. The building will tie in with nearby dormitories that were built in the first third of the 20th century.

Mrs. Wendell was a classmate of Meg Whitman, who, along with her family, donated $30 million for the construction of Whitman College. Ms. Whitman is the president and CEO of eBay, a 1977 graduate, and a trustee of the University.

Whitman College is a 270,000-square-foot structure that will house 500 undergraduate students and 10 graduate students. This summer construction workers will finish clearing the site for the dormitory and begin installing foundations and erecting walls. The building is set to be complete by the fall of 2006.

The purpose of the college is to increase the University's undergraduate student population gradually over four years, once the dormitory is complete. The intention is to increase the student population by 500 students, in 125-student increments each year starting in 2006.

"This wonderful gift comes at a critical time, as we prepare to expand our undergraduate enrollment," said University President Shirley Tilghman. "We are deeply grateful to the Wendell and Cook families for their vision and generosity."

The college will be located between Dillon Gymnasium and Baker Rink, currently home to tennis courts. While the tennis courts will be removed, finding ways to keep green space in the area will be a priority, said President Tilghman during a recent town hall meeting with students. She said that three garden court areas will be constructed within the vicinity of the dorms.

The Contributors

The Cooks, the Wendells, and Ms. Whitman are all intertwined through the University and through their professions. Old friends from the East Coast, Mr. Wendell and Mr. Cook first became acquainted during their time together at the Harvard Business School. Later, Mr. Wendell's firm provided venture capital for Intuit, Mr. Cook's software company. In addition Mr. Cook now serves as a director of eBay, headed by Ms. Whitman.

Both the Wendells and the Cooks now live in California, and still contribute to causes on both sides of the country.

Mr. Wendell, class of 1972, is the founder and general partner of the Silicon Valley venture capital firm, Sierra Ventures. He serves as a trustee for the University, along with chairing the board of directors of the Princeton University Investment Co., which advises the school on information and technology. He is also a member of the trustees' committee on University Resources.

Mrs. Wendell, class of 1977, chairs the University High School's board of trustees. Together the couple has made various donations to Princeton, including giving funds to the sociology department and the lacrosse program.

The Wendells are parents to six children.

Mr. Cook is a graduate of the University of Southern California, and chair of the executive committee of Intuit, maker of software programs such as Quicken and TurboTax. He serves on the board of the Asia Foundation and on the board of visitors of Harvard Business School.

Mr. Cook and his wife, Ms. Ostby, contribute to various causes, in addition to donating money to the University of Wisconsin, where Ms. Ostby received her undergraduate and graduate degrees. She is the former vice president of marketing at Software Publishing Corp.,

The couple live with their three children in the area near San Francisco known as Silicon Valley.