Momentum Building to Support the Next Generation of Design Leaders

Alumni and friends are stepping up to make design education accessible.

Design has the power to solve some of the world’s most pressing global challenges. Still, the field can only be as successful as the practitioners who are able to access a quality design education and then transform their knowledge, skills, and confidence into a real-world impact. To open the doors of a top-tier design education to a wider range of voices in the school, the GSD launched the Future Design Leaders Match. This urgent student support initiative will significantly impact generations of future designers, the industry, and the alumni community by establishing endowed, named fellowships.

The Match is a key part of Dean Sarah M. Whiting’s vision of making design education accessible, regardless of personal financial circumstances, while attracting and enrolling the most talented architects, designers, and planners. To act on that commitment, Dean Whiting dedicated a fund of $4 million for matching donor contributions. This limited-time opportunity to establish a named Fellowship at the GSD and receive an equal contribution from the Dean’s fund represents the GSD’s most open, robust funding opportunity to date to support students in the broadest possible way.

Growing endowed support through the Future Design Leaders Match provides our students with more financial flexibility after graduation to help continue this foundation, challenging the critical social issues of our time, and consequently changing the design horizon itself.

Sarah M. Whiting Dean and Josep Lluís Sert Professor of Architecture

“What’s extraordinary about design is that it impacts everyone. At the GSD, our students learn to reach outward—to each other, to other communities, and to leaders across an amazing array of professions,” said Dean Sarah M. Whiting. “They are well prepared to impact the world. Growing endowed support through the Future Design Leaders Match provides our students with more financial flexibility after graduation to help continue this foundation, challenging the critical social issues of our time, and consequently changing the design horizon itself.”

Fellowships will be open to students in master’s level programs and the Doctor of Design program. The fund has already committed over $1.5 million to endowed named fellowships, thanks to an enthusiastic and generous response from several alumni and donors.

My time spent at the GSD is a cherished chapter in my life. The gift match is an exciting opportunity that allowed me to create a legacy gift now to help others have the same meaningful experience. I am thrilled to be able to give back and continue to be part of the GSD legacy.

Robyn Morgenstern Rosenblatt MArch ’97 Established the Morgenstern Rosenblatt Fellowship Fund

An endowed fellowship provides support for one student, and the awarded student will carry the name of the fellowship during their GSD studies. The endowed fellowship will exist in perpetuity within the Harvard University Endowment and grow over time. With the match, the GSD aims to have more than 100 endowed opportunities to award students annually.

We believe that a great design education is critical to solving some of our most pressing issues, so making the best design education more accessible to talented students, regardless of their personal financial capacity, is crucial. We were delighted by the opportunity to double our impact through the match that Dean Whiting made available and are confident that this effort will help many deserving students thrive at this incredible school.

Abigail Turin MArch '97 and Jonathan Gans Established the Turin Gans Fellowship Fund

We need a diverse range of practitioners, researchers and lifelong students to rise to the occasion of taking on urgent issues around the world. With the Jain Family Fellowship Fund, we're creating opportunities for a top-tier design education to be more accessible to future leaders in the field—especially those who may otherwise not have the financial resources to reach their full potential. I'm grateful to Dean Whiting and the GSD for making this support a priority, and we're honored to be able to contribute through the Future Design Leaders Match.

Carola and Bobby Jain Established the Jain Family Fellowship Fund

Limited opportunities remain to join the Match and empower generations of future design leaders. This support will help students continue their extraordinary research, collaborations, and innovative work even after graduating.

To learn more about the Match before the June 30, 2023 deadline, please contact Courtney Ward.

Future Design Leaders Match Donor Listing

We are delighted to thank and acknowledge the following alumni and friends who generously established endowed Fellowships at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design as part of the Future Design Leaders Match. The Match will impact generations of future designers, the design industry, and our alumni community by making design education more accessible. The list below includes gifts made through December 30, 2022 in chronological order.

  • Abigail Turin MArch ’97 and Jonathan Gans established the Turin Gans Fellowship Fund
  • Brian Douglas Lee MArch ’78 and Wendy Szeto Lee established the Lee Family Fellowship Fund
  • Robyn Morgenstern Rosenblatt MArch ’97 established the Morgenstern Rosenblatt Fellowship Fund
  • Peter Coombe MArch ’88 and Betty Chen AB ’87 established the Graduate School of Design Alumni Council Fellowship Fund
  • Carola and Bobby Jain established the Jain Family Fellowship Fund
  • Donor Confidential
  • Scott Mead AB ’77 established the Mead Family Fellowship Fund
  • Donor Confidential (2)
  • Leslie and Sanjay Patel AB ’83, SM ’83 established the Patel GSD Family Fellowship
  • Bridget Colman and Mark M. Colman AB ’83, MBA ’87 expanded the Horne Family Fellowship Fund

For any questions on the Future Design Leaders Match, please contact Courtney Ward.

Future Design Leaders Match graphic