Institute For Advanced Study Donates $500K To Princeton Schools

PRINCETON, NJ — The Institute for Advanced Study will donate $500,000 to the Princeton Public School District to support the district’s work, the institute announced on Tuesday. The donation will be for $100,000 a year over a five-year period, beginning with the 2018-19 school year.

In addition to these contributions, the institute annually makes a $250,000 Payment-in-Lieu-of-Taxes (PILOT) to the municipality of Princeton. The institute is Princeton’s ninth largest tax payer, paying $568,000 in property taxes in 2017.

“The Institute for Advanced Study is proud to be an engaged partner in the Princeton community and greatly values its superb public schools,” Institute for Advanced Study Director and Leon Levy Professor Robert Dijkgraaf said. “The Institute and the Princeton Public School District share a common commitment to education and pursuit of knowledge. Our gift will support the Princeton Public Schools as they educate our children to lead lives of joy and purpose in a global society.”

“We are extraordinarily grateful for this contribution,” Princeton Superintendent of Schools Steve Cochrane said. “It comes at a crucial time in the life of the district as we plan for rising enrollments, and it will truly make a difference for our students and staff.

“The children of the faculty at the Institute for Advanced Study have been an important part of our schools for many years. This gift underscores the long-time partnership between the Institute and the District. It is a partnership based on the shared values of caring for our community and promoting a passion for learning. It is a partnership on which we all hope to build.”

The Institute for Advanced Study also provides a variety of free public programming for audiences of all ages such as academic lectures, musical concerts, and science initiatives for children. The institute is invested in the enhancement of the municipality through the preservation of the Institute Woods, which is open to the public and encompasses 589 acres of land that can be enjoyed year-round by bird watchers, walkers, runners, and cross-country skiers.

Patch file photo