Lenfest Honored by Dickinson College
Gerry Lenfest ’53, ’55L will receive an honorary doctor of philanthropy degree from Dickinson College at its commencement May 18 in Carlisle, Pa.
Lenfest, benefactor and Washington and Lee emeritus trustee, founded and owned the Philadelphia region’s largest cable television system, Suburban Cable TV, a division of Lenfest Communications, until its sale to Comcast in 2000. Today, he is part owner of Interstate General Media, which publishes The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Through their foundation and personal donations, Lenfest and his wife, Marguerite, have given more than $1 billion in philanthropic support of disadvantaged youth, the arts, higher education and the environment. At W&L, the Lenfests made leadership gifts toward the Lenfest Center for the Arts and its Wilson Concert Hall. They have also been strong supporters of the University’s Honor Our Past, Build Our Future campaign, particularly in the area of faculty support. The campaign has raised more than $440 million toward its $500 million goal.
Lenfest chairs the boards of the American Revolution Museum and the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress. He previously chaired the boards of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Curtis Institute of Music. In addition to W&L, he is a graduate of Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, where he later served as president of the board, and Columbia Law School. He is a past trustee of Columbia University.
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