Brody reflects on his years at Hopkins, decision to retire
We're now in a very challenging situation because several universities like MIT and others have introduced much richer financial aid packages. They have endowment per student that dwarfs our endowment per student … I think that the big priority for the next campaign is trying to raise more resources for financial aid. I think it's critical.
N-L: Since you took office the endowment has nearly tripled, and many have credited you with this. What makes you a good fundraiser?
WB: [Laughs] It's a team effort. One thing that's different at Hopkins is, I'm not the only one doing fundraising. We have a whole team of people, including deans and faculty ... and a superb development organization. I enjoy fundraising because it's about connecting Hopkins to people who are passionate about something that Hopkins is doing.
...It's about connecting. A number of times I go talk to somebody who, let's say, runs a large foundation and has a lot of money. They say "Well, Bill, you're wasting your time. Hopkins is not of interest to our foundation or to me. We're not going to give Hopkins any money." I actually like to hear that. Then it becomes a challenge.
…The most moving gift I got was for 10 or 15 dollars. There was a man who had cancer who was hospitalized at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was in and out of the hospital and eventually died. His son, who I think was about 11 years old, was so impressed with the care his father got and was so compassionate that he took his life savings, which was 10 or 15 dollars, and donated it to the cancer center. We found out that the son loved play lacrosse and was great Blue Jays fan. We called up lacrosse coach Dave Petramila and he invited the son to a game, to sit on bench and made him the honorary captain of the team, had him into locker room, gave him a jersey. That's what it's all about.
N-L: What do you plan to do now?
WB: I don't know. It's kind of scary. I've never been a situation where I haven't had a job or hadn't known what I was going to do next. So I'm going to take some time and think about what I'm going to do in the next phase of my life … I'm planning on staying in Baltimore. I have some books I want to write and a bunch of things I'm going to get done.
N-L: Since you took office the endowment has nearly tripled, and many have credited you with this. What makes you a good fundraiser?
WB: [Laughs] It's a team effort. One thing that's different at Hopkins is, I'm not the only one doing fundraising. We have a whole team of people, including deans and faculty ... and a superb development organization. I enjoy fundraising because it's about connecting Hopkins to people who are passionate about something that Hopkins is doing.
...It's about connecting. A number of times I go talk to somebody who, let's say, runs a large foundation and has a lot of money. They say "Well, Bill, you're wasting your time. Hopkins is not of interest to our foundation or to me. We're not going to give Hopkins any money." I actually like to hear that. Then it becomes a challenge.
…The most moving gift I got was for 10 or 15 dollars. There was a man who had cancer who was hospitalized at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was in and out of the hospital and eventually died. His son, who I think was about 11 years old, was so impressed with the care his father got and was so compassionate that he took his life savings, which was 10 or 15 dollars, and donated it to the cancer center. We found out that the son loved play lacrosse and was great Blue Jays fan. We called up lacrosse coach Dave Petramila and he invited the son to a game, to sit on bench and made him the honorary captain of the team, had him into locker room, gave him a jersey. That's what it's all about.
N-L: What do you plan to do now?
WB: I don't know. It's kind of scary. I've never been a situation where I haven't had a job or hadn't known what I was going to do next. So I'm going to take some time and think about what I'm going to do in the next phase of my life … I'm planning on staying in Baltimore. I have some books I want to write and a bunch of things I'm going to get done.
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Aaron Martel
posted 3/31/08 @ 9:03 PM EST
(1) JHU refuses to review indirect holdings (e.g. mutual funds) and therefore may still invest in offending companies (e.g. PetroChina, Sinopec, ONGC). (Continued…)
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