Though his son Jonathan graduated more than 10 years ago, Marshall Lerner P’04 continues to find ways to contribute to Harvard. He and his wife, Jacqueline, are loyal donors and make an Associates level gift every year. And Lerner, who is a resident of Beverly Hills, California, considers his giving as a way to stay connected to the Harvard experience.
“Harvard is number one. There is nothing on this planet greater than Harvard,” says Lerner, who is a managing partner of Kleinberg & Lerner LLP and an expert in intellectual property law. “Let’s face it—Harvard may have a big endowment, but it still needs support to continue to do all it can for its students.”
It’s the reason he continues to give long after his son earned a degree in applied mathematics. He likes knowing that his generosity helps to advance intellectual discussions and academic rigor every day. “I want to support everything that happens in Harvard classrooms,” he says.
“I give because I’m grateful for all that Harvard did for my son. He benefits from his education every day.”
For students at Harvard, this translates into working one-on-one with leading faculty in freshman seminars, labs and theaters, innovative lectures, and small classes, through 49 different concentrations. This support provides the funds to equip classrooms for 21st-century learning with new cutting-edge technology and digital tools. And gifts like the Lerners’ can advance new opportunities for students, such as research funds that provide experiential learning opportunities beyond classroom walls.
Lerner’s son has reached out to faculty and alumni as he pursues his career interests, and Lerner is appreciative of these continued Harvard connections.
“My son will have his Harvard degree for the rest of his life, and in gratitude, I’d like to give to Harvard for the rest of mine,” says Lerner.