Honoring the Extraordinary Legacy of Board Member Leonard Tow
Leonard Tow, MA’52, PhD’60, a staunch supporter of the Columbia Mailman School and a longstanding member of the School’s Board of Advisors, died this week. His extraordinary generosity is felt in every corner of Columbia Mailman, benefitting students with crucial mentorship and sponsorship support, and advancing faculty research and development.
“Dr. Tow was a source of inspiration and hope for all those fortunate to have known him and all who have benefited from his generosity. We at Columbia Mailman are sincerely honored and humbled by his friendship and very proud to uphold his extraordinary legacy,” says Interim Dean Kathleen Sikkema.
“Len Tow was a dear friend and visionary partner to the school who gave his vision, energy, and generous support in innumerable ways so as to transform opportunities to aspire and to have impact. His contributions have positioned our school to maximize its impact for scholarship, education, and health across generations,” adds Dean Emerita Linda P. Fried.
Tow joined the School’s Board of Advisors in 2012, and in 2015, he established the Tow Faculty Leadership Scholars Program to recognize and nurture the professional growth of outstanding and innovative mid-career faculty members. In a 2018 article about the gift, Tow said the program was designed to produce a substantial return on investment. “It gives our scholars an opportunity to demonstrate their capacity to achieve and develop their ideas,” he said. So far, 17 faculty have received this prestigious award, propelling their scientific progress and enabling them to assume leadership roles at Columbia Mailman and beyond.
Another generous philanthropic gift by the Tow Foundation benefited students. The Tow Doctoral Scholars Program supports master’s degree students and recent alumni who encountered barriers to accessing higher education and would not have previously considered doctoral study. The program has provided mentoring and research assistance to support students to aspire to—and achieve—a doctoral education in public health, and scholarships to support their study. To date, it has supported 23 students, 17 of whom are currently enrolled in doctoral programs at Columbia Mailman and other institutions.
Tow played a crucial role in generously providing scholarship support, enabling formerly incarcerated individuals to obtain a master’s degree following their graduation from the Bard Prison Initiative. He also co-established the Judson Wolfe Excellence in Teaching Award for the most impactful and inspiring educator. More recently, he initiated an innovative field internship program between his alma mater, Brooklyn College, and ICAP, creating a unique opportunity for public health-oriented students to spend time in ICAP’s country offices in Africa, where they will learn from experts while supporting ICAP’s programs.
His support for Columbia Mailman extends to the recently established Adrienne Block Professorship, to be held by the most talented and accomplished faculty within the School, in honor of Dean Emerita Linda P. Fried's legacy. He was also the lead donor in creating the Phyllis Mailman Professorship of Public Health, which will be held by a distinguished researcher in the School’s Center for Infection and Immunity.
Tow’s legacy is also felt by the continued support of his family members and the Tow Foundation, which is led by Leonard and Claire Tow’s daughter, Emily. Olivia Tow—their granddaughter and a Tow Foundation trustee—was inspired by the advocacy of Parkland, Florida, high school students to support a group of Mailman School professors and colleagues launching Columbia SURGE (Scientific Union for the Reduction of Gun Violence). “It’s great to have this association with an institution that appeals to people from their 20s to their 90s,” Leonard Tow was quoted as saying in a 2021 article. “I think that’s a wonderful thing.”
Impact Across Columbia
Tow’s impact is evident across the Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he has supported crucial programs. Most notable is his pivotal role in the construction of the new Vagelos Innovation Laboratories, a state-of-the-art biomedical research building within the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Additionally, he established the Tow Foundation Research Network and created a fellowship program in the Seymour, Paul, and Gloria Milstein Division of Cardiology, which helped the Medical School recruit and train the next generation of exceptional cardiologists. His generosity also established the Claire Tow Center for Motor Neuron Biology and Disease and the Claire Tow Professorship in Motor Neuron Disorders, named in memory of his late wife. These gifts are propelling faculty research on ALS and spinal muscular atrophy, along with other neurodegenerative disorders and the restoration of motor function in patients who have sustained spinal cord injuries.
Tow also touched the lives of countless members of the broader Columbia University community with support for the Columbia Journalism School, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Columbia Law School, the School of the Arts, and Athletics.
A World-Class Philanthropist with Brooklyn Roots
Leonard Tow was born in Brooklyn and received his bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College, master’s degree, and PhD from Columbia’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and was an educator at several New York City colleges, including Columbia Business School. He was a highly successful businessman, establishing and leading two major cable television companies, among other successful ventures.
Tow was an ardent supporter of medical research, cultural institutions, higher education, and juvenile and criminal justice reform, both philanthropically and through his expertise, serving on various boards. He was also deeply committed to enabling individuals to reach their highest dreams and capabilities. He is one of the earliest signatories of The Giving Pledge, made in 2012, to donate a majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes. His transformative support bolstered institutions such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Brooklyn College, Lincoln Center, the Hospital for Special Surgery, and the City University of New York Journalism School. He was awarded the 2006 Jacob Javits Lifetime Achievement Award from the ALS Association and the 2019 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.
Photo courtesy of the Tow Foundation.