Haverford College gets $10 million gift for dorm

Haverford College yesterday received a $10 million pledge gift to build a new dorm, its first new residence hall since 1968, officials announced yesterday.

The gift, one of the largest in the school's history, came from the Jaharis Family Foundation and was announced at the Haverford board of trustees meeting yesterday.

Steven M. Jaharis, a family doctor in Chicago and a 1982 Haverford graduate, is on the foundation's board of directors, as well as Haverford's board of managers.

As a condition of the multiyear pledge, the college must raise a $10 million matching gift for academic enrichment, financial aid, or new buildings by Dec. 31, 2012.

Officials said they anticipated no problem raising the money.

"I am quite grateful to my family, who are the directors of the Jaharis Family Foundation Inc., for authorizing this gift to a very special college," Jaharis said in a prepared statement. "It is our hope that the challenge will inspire others to contribute to this worthy institution."

Jaharis declined to be interviewed. The foundation has also given a $15 million gift to Tufts University.

The college plans to build two dorms on Orchard Green adjacent to the Whitehead Student Center. Each will house about 80 students. One will be named after Tom Tritton, Haverford's 12th president, who preceded current president Stephen G. Emerson, officials said. The name of the second, for which the college still must secure funding, has not been decided.

As the 1,200-student college has grown in population, living areas in dorms have been converted to rooms. The new dorms will allow the school to resume using those converted areas as common space for student gatherings, said Michael Kiefer, vice president of institutional advancement. Virtually all of the students live on campus.

Planning for the design of the dorms has not started.

"The entire [school] community will be involved in the planning," Emerson said. "We're incredibly excited. We are very thankful to Steve, his family, and the foundation. We think it's a great vote of confidence in the college."

Kiefer also underscored the importance of the gift's timing.

"So many people are still trying to find their footing in this economy," he said. "This kind of leadership I think will inspire and challenge people."