Dedication Ceremony for the Belfer Research Building
From left to right: Robert and Renée Belfer at the dedication ceremony on November 9th. Belfer Research Building on November 9, 2011. Time Capsule: U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney, Sanford I. Weill, Robert Belfer, Dr. Gotto and Renée Belfer sealed the time capsule at the dedication ceremony. The time capsule will be opened in 2098.
November 2011
Weill Cornell celebrated a milestone in the Discoveries that Make a Difference Campaign with the dedication of the Belfer Research Building on November 9, 2011. This new facility, on the Weill Cornell Medical College campus at 413 East 69th Street, will double our research space. It is an incredible achievement and a transforming moment in expanding the research landscape at Weill Cornell, and in the life of the entire Weill Cornell community.
The goal of the Discoveries Campaign is to accelerate our ability to convert discoveries into new treatments and cures that will allow us, our children, and future generations to lead longer and healthier lives. The Belfer Research Building – the centerpiece of the Campaign – is on track to open in 2014.
The Discoveries Campaign is the culmination of Weill Cornell’s three-part strategic vision. Dr. Antonio M. Gotto, Jr., M.D., D.Phil., Co-Chair, Board of Overseers and Dean of the Medical College from 1997-2011, attributes the Campaign’s success to date to “incredible support from the Board of Overseers, our donors, friends, faculty, and staff. Together, they have catapulted Weill Cornell into our position as a world–renowned academic medical center.” During his time as Dean, Dr. Gotto raised nearly $2 billion in philanthropy for research, patient care, and medical education.
The November 9th dedication ceremony recognized of all who have given generously of their financial resources, time, and talent to bring this day to fruition. A time capsule was sealed with items selected by a volunteer committee chaired by longtime Weill Cornell donor and friend Helen Appel. It will be opened in 2098 to mark the 200th anniversary of the founding of the Medical College and the 100th anniversary of its re-naming in recognition of Joan and Sandy Weill.
The day was also a celebration of the most recent phase of the Campaign – the Research Leads to Cures Initiative. Launched last spring, this initiative aims to raise $225 million to support the people and programs in the new Belfer Research Building, including endowment and recruitment needs for 30 new researchers and their related programs. To date, $61.1 million has been raised
Read more about the Belfer Research Building dedication ceremony at: http://weill.cornell.edu/featured/medical_research_building_dedication.html
