The Family of the Late Dr. Lawrence Jacobs Gives $1-Million Gift to Niagara University

Jacobs Family Gift Dedicated to New Center for Integrated Science

Niagara University has received a $1-million gift from the family of the late Dr. Lawrence D. Jacobs, a member of the university's Class of 1961. The gift will be applied toward the construction of the university's new science facility.

"Niagara was a very special place for Larry," said his wife, Pamela R. Jacobs-Vogt. "It was where he discovered his dream of a career in medicine, and he thoroughly enjoyed being a student there. This gift is an endorsement of the vision that the university is pursuing related to a world-class science and research center."

The Jacobs family's gift will bring Niagara University closer to the construction of the B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences, a $33-million facility that will provide teaching laboratories and space to support cutting-edge integrated research collaborations among faculty and students in biology, biochemistry, chemistry and physics, and prepare students for leadership in the medical profession.

"We are grateful to the members of Dr. Larry Jacobs' family for their generous support of our science program," said the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., president of Niagara University. "In assisting Niagara to build our science center, this gift will enhance the educational experiences of countless students and enable them to follow the example of Dr. Jacobs by pursuing careers that improve the lives of others."

"Niagara has always recognized and encouraged Larry's work," Jacobs-Vogt said. "It seemed most appropriate for our family to honor Larry and thank Niagara by making this gift to the science center. It will serve as a way for future generations of the Jacobs family, as well as Niagara University students, to know more about Larry's research. We also hope it will serve as an inspiration for students to pursue careers in the science field."

Jacobs, an internationally acclaimed researcher who developed the first treatment proven to slow the progress of multiple sclerosis, earned his medical degree from St. Louis University and served his residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital and School of Medicine in New York City. A specialist in the field of neurology, Jacobs dedicated his life to conquering MS and other illnesses. He served as a member of Niagara University's board of trustees from 1993 to 1997.

"I am thrilled that Pam Jacobs-Vogt and her family have chosen Niagara University for this significant gift. This gift is a vote of confidence in our vision and it will allow us to recognize in a significant way Dr. Jacobs, one of Niagara's outstanding science graduates," said Dr. Nancy McGlen, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "His medical research on multiple sclerosis is a wonderful role model that we try to follow with our commitment to student/faculty research on coronary artery disease and cancer."

In 2009, 85 percent of Niagara's science students performed research with faculty, much of it leading to publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at regional and national conferences.