Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award
The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award is given to distinguished alumni/alumnae and corporate partners in recognition of extraordinary service, philanthropy, and long-standing partnerships with Rensselaer.
2016 RECIPIENTS
Through his longstanding service to Rensselaer on the Board of Trustees, and his extraordinary philanthropy, personally and through the Priem Family Foundation, Curtis R. Priem ’82 has forever impacted not only the Rensselaer experience for our faculty and students, but also the literal landscape of the campus.
The Rensselaer/IBM partnership dates back decades to the revolutionary IBM System/360, first announced in 1964. Today, IBM is engaging with Rensselaer in joint investigations of unimaginable potential. This extraordinary model for partnership empowers Rensselaer to be transformative, through our innovative teaching, and the global impact of our research.
Howard N. Blitman ’50 has served Rensselaer for more than 65 years, as a Rensselaer trustee, adviser, and volunteer. He has supported scholarships and fellowships, the Rensselaer Annual Fund, athletics, and the upgrade of numerous campus facilities, and has earned all four honors of the Rensselaer Alumni Association, including its highest award, the Distinguished Service Award.
2018 RECIPIENTS
We are pleased to honor Helen-Jo and John E. Kelly III ’78G, ’80 Ph.D. for their exemplary support of Rensselaer students and research. Dr. Kelly began his relationship with Rensselaer during his time as a graduate student, receiving a Master’s Degree in Physics in 1978 and a Doctorate in Materials Engineering in 1980. Dr. Kelly…
More than 50 years ago, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute pioneered the concept of cooperative education, which provides undergraduates with experiential job placements. Visionary corporate partners, such as Boeing, have helped to ensure the success of the program, and the students who take part in it. In addition to funding fellowships and establishing a scholarship program for…
It is our privilege to honor Gail and Jeffrey Kodosky ’70 for their unmatched support of faculty and students at Rensselaer. Jeffrey L. Kodosky ’70 earned his Bachelor’s Degree in physics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1970. Not long after his graduation, in 1976, Mr. Kodosky co-founded National Instruments and subsequently served as the company’s…
The Patroon Society at Rensselaer
Since 1953, the Patroon Society at Rensselaer has provided a vital source of leadership, generosity, and support for generations of Rensselaer students. At every turn in our history, Patroons have played a key role in our success. The past fifteen years have been no exception. Gifts from our members in the Annual Patroon Society have shaped and fueled our dramatic transformation at Rensselaer. The generous and continued support from Patroons each year helps Rensselaer students receive needed financial aid and scholarships, experience our award-winning student programming, participate in undergraduate research, collaborate with our talented and dedicated faculty, and so much more. The continued leadership support of the Annual Patroon Society is critical if we are to sustain the Institute for the next two centuries—and beyond.
Annual Patroon Society
Annual Patroon Society members are recognized at the following levels, and recognition is based on gifts to Rensselaer during a single fiscal year (July 1 –June 30).
Annual Patroon Society Giving Levels and Recognition |
|
|---|---|
| The President’s Circle | $25,000 or more |
| The Innovators | $20,000 |
| The Trailblazers | $15,000 |
| The Pathfinders | $10,000 |
| The Explorers | $5,000 |
| The Surveyors | $2,500 |
Membership in The Surveyors is offered to current students and young alumni at the following levels:
The Surveyors Giving Levels and Recognition |
|
|---|---|
| Current students | $100 |
| Graduates in the last 4 years | $250 |
| Graduates 5-9 years out | $500 |
| Graduates 10-14 years out | $1,000 |
Members of the Patroon Society receive invitations to exclusive events and special communications from the Institute.
For more information or to join the Annual Patroon Society, please contact the Office of Annual Giving or call (518) 276-6055.
Lifetime Patroon Society
The Lifetime Patroon Society recognizes exceptional cumulative giving to the Institute at the following levels:
Stephen Van Rensselaer Patroons Giving Levels and Recognition |
|
|---|---|
| 1824 Society | lifetime giving of $10,000,000 |
| Stephen Van Rensselaer Society | lifetime giving of $1,000,000 |
| George M. Low ’48 Society | lifetime giving of $500,000 |
| Livingston W. Houston ’13 Society | lifetime giving of $250,000 |
| Amos Eaton Society | lifetime giving of $100,000 |
| Palmer C. Ricketts Society | lifetime giving of $50,000 |
| B.F. Greene Society | lifetime giving of $20,000 |
The Heritage Society
The Heritage Society recognizes those individuals who have chosen to leave a legacy at Rensselaer by planning a testamentary gift or making a life income gift. For more information on the Heritage Society, please contact Joel B. Kincart or call (518) 703-0222.
