Tulane receives $17.2 million from alumna for geriatric medicine and research

A $17.2 million gift from Newcomb College alumna Myrna L. Daniels will fund geriatric and healthy aging initiatives, clinical research, a faculty chair in geriatrics, and capital improvements at Tulane School of Medicine, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected medical schools.

Daniels’ generous gift comes as the university embarks on a major expansion of its downtown campus in the heart of New Orleans.

“Myrna Daniels’ incredible philanthropy is known throughout the world,” Tulane President Michael A. Fitts said. “This gift will help usher in a new era for our School of Medicine. Thanks to Myrna, we can increase our historic investment in downtown New Orleans and forge new paths in clinical research, biotechnological innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, especially in the burgeoning, in-demand field of geriatrics.”

The gift will bolster the School of Medicine by: 

• Dedicating $9.2 million to establish the Myrna L. Daniels Geriatric Medicine Endowed Fund to support research and education in geriatrics and aging-related medical conditions, including interdisciplinary partnerships across Tulane departments;
• Committing $3 million to fund the Myrna L. Daniels Chair in Geriatric Medicine, an endowed faculty position for which a candidate search is now underway, and;
• Focusing $5 million on financing major capital projects at the School of Medicine, including new laboratories and research space.

“Tulane has long been a leader in the study of aging, and we engage expertise from academic disciplines across our campus in the multi-faceted support of health, wellness and high quality of life for our aging population,” said Tulane Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robin Forman. “This exciting gift from Myrna Daniels will further energize this work in the Tulane School of Medicine in ways that will echo across Tulane and throughout our region.”

Daniels, a retired speech pathologist, graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Tulane’s Newcomb College in 1952. Three generations of her family are Tulanians, including two of her grandchildren and her son Paul T. Finger, MD, a renowned New York ophthalmologist. In total, three of Daniels’ family members are graduates of the School of Medicine — a fact that helped inspire her gift.

“I am honored to give back to Tulane, a university that means so much to me and so many members of my family,” Daniels said. “Academic medicine and research are crucial to improving and saving lives, from newborns to seniors, and Tulane’s long-term strategy for reimagining downtown New Orleans resonates deeply with me. I am delighted to support Tulane’s far-reaching humanitarian work in medicine and its goal of fostering a New Orleans biotech renaissance.”

Daniels’ gift continues a long legacy of philanthropy established by Myrna and her late husband, John H. Daniels, a Toronto architect, developer and founder of the Daniels Corp., one of Ontario’s largest real estate companies. Prior to that, John was CEO of Cadillac Fairview, which became the largest developer in North America under his leadership. Together, the Daniels’ generosity has made indelible marks in the philanthropic world and impacted innumerable people.

“This gift is a testament to the deep commitment and love of an extraordinary Newcomb graduate and Tulane family member to whom we are eternally grateful,” said Lee Hamm, Tulane senior vice president and dean of the School of Medicine. “Myrna’s gift will impact current students, patients, faculty and staff, as well as future generations.”