The late Ardis Butler James — an avid quilter and collector of quilts since childhood — and her husband, the late Robert “Bob” James, M.B.A. ’48, Ph.D. ’53, amassed an assortment of quilts that ultimately grew to become the most important public assortment on the earth. In an early instance of generosity that might characterize their philanthropy and encourage so many others, Ardis and Bob, each native Nebraskans, donated practically 1,000 quilts to determine the Worldwide Quilt Research Middle (now often called the Worldwide Quilt Museum) on the College of Nebraska-Lincoln, in 1997. The couple was inducted into the Quilters Corridor of Fame in 2011.
The Jameses’ love of quilts — made by piecing collectively totally different materials to create one thing lovely and unified — is a becoming metaphor for his or her method to philanthropy. By way of their generosity and repair to Harvard, the James household has had a profound influence on your complete College group, stitching collectively the wealthy number of Harvard’s constituent Colleges and applications to create a unified entire that’s better than the sum of its components.
Robert and Ardis James.
Photograph courtesy of College of Nebraska Basis; Photographer Geoff Johnson, Malone & Co.
Impressed by the standard of his Harvard training, the couple needed to offer again to the establishment that had given Bob a lot, making their first donation to the Harvard Enterprise College fund. Shortly after, they made a major contribution to the College to determine the Robert and Ardis James Fellowship, which provided scholarships for Jap European college students in want. These presents had been pushed by their unwavering perception in supporting future generations and initiated a lifetime of transformative assist.
Recognizing that leaders and change-makers emerge from each nook of the College, Bob and Ardis expanded their philanthropy past HBS and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate College of Arts and Sciences, the 2 Colleges that Bob had attended. The James household’s generosity started making a quilt of a special type, deliberately integrating varied elements of the College and their very own passions to strengthen the establishment as an entire, embodying the spirit of “One Harvard” lengthy earlier than President Emerita Drew Gilpin Faust championed this concept throughout her presidency.
A household custom
Bob and Ardis instilled their values into their youngsters, Ralph James, M.B.A. ’82, and Cathy James Paglia, M.B.A. ’76, from an early age. Collectively, two generations of the James household have unfold their generosity throughout the College, together with presents to HBS, Harvard Griffin GSAS, Harvard Kennedy College, Harvard Divinity College, Harvard Radcliffe Institute, the Harvard Artwork Museums, Harvard Medical College, the Harvard Graduate College of Schooling, and Harvard T.H. Chan College of Public Well being.
Their contributions had been pivotal within the latest restoration of HDS’s Swartz Corridor, reflecting their perception within the significance of understanding faith to understand human motivations and foster a peaceable, simply world. Named within the household’s honor, the James Room at Swartz Corridor is a brand new, state-of-the-art house for educating, studying, and gathering that expands the College’s convening energy.
“Whether or not or not my father knew it or articulated it on this manner, he was one of many earliest proponents of One Harvard. My sister and I’ve embraced it ever since.”
Ralph James, M.B.A. ’82
Having grown up when alternatives for girls had been scarcer, Ardis was deeply impressed by HRI’s mission, notably the Schlesinger Library, which illuminates the lives of American girls previous and current. She believed that to influence the longer term, one should first perceive the previous.
Outdoors of their very own philanthropic pursuits, the James household has enduring religion in Harvard’s management to handle the largest challenges on the earth at present.
“My household’s dedication to philanthropy displays many issues,” Ralph says. “The standard and values of management actually do matter. Execution issues. You possibly can have a wonderful technique, however it isn’t going to have the influence you need except it’s executed correctly. Throughout the board, Harvard reveals these qualities. They examine all of the packing containers.”
Ralph and Cathy have lent their time and abilities in assist of the College in quite a few different methods. Ralph beforehand served as HBS government director for exterior relations, as HBS government director of government training, as co-chair of HGSE’s most up-to-date fundraising marketing campaign, and as a member of the HDS Dean’s Council and the HRI Dean’s Advisory Council. Cathy has co-chaired her HBS class reunion efforts yearly since her commencement.
In the present day, Ralph and Cathy honor their late dad and mom by carrying on their legacy, in search of new methods to assist Harvard and including new patches to the household’s meticulously crafted quilt of philanthropy.
“All the pieces at all times evolves. Philanthropy continues to vary. My dad and mom had a specific manner of viewing their philanthropy, and Cathy and I are persevering with that custom,” Ralph stated. “They supported what was necessary to them, and as we get older, we convey our personal views into household philanthropy with the hope that the following technology will do the identical. The great thing about Harvard is that no matter you could be fascinated with or need to accomplish, Harvard is doing it someplace on campus.”
