GIFTS WITH IMPACT

Fruman Jacobson

What Does Giving Back Really Mean to an LAS Donor?

Fruman Jacobson is an LAS alumnus, having earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with highest honors back in 1970. He went on to earn his JD cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law. Fruman is a partner in the law firm of Sonnenschien Nath & Rosenthal where he is also holds the position of chair of the national restructuring and bankruptcy group.

He is also a loyal donor and friend to the College, a member of the Presidents Council, and since 2002, a member of the LAS Board of Visitors. In 2004, he established the Eugenia R. & Max M. Jacobson M.D. Memorial Scholarship in LAS. Fruman’s fire, his tenacity, his passion for the College, its mission and its influence on LAS students and alumni is truly inspiring to everyone he encounters. Here, Fruman shares with us his personal reflections on what it means to be an LAS donor and a member of the Board of Visitors.

"When asked by LAS Dean Stanley Fish to join the College’s Board of Visitors in 2002, I was honored. Since that time, I have served under LAS Dean Chris Comer and currently under Dean Dwight A. McBride. While these three deans possess very different leadership styles, they were each committed to the mission that a strong liberal arts education is fundamental to preparing students for success and global citizenship. My parents believed this when they came to Chicago from Europe and they both worked hard to allow my brother Sam and me to attend UIC and establish a strong foundation for our success in careers and life.

"To honor the spirit of my parents, my wife Marian and I created the scholarship that bears their names. We want this scholarship to have a major, lasting impact on students who need this support just as we needed it when we were students. It has done just that. The students we have helped are extraordinary and we learn each year that there are many more extraordinary young people who struggle in gathering the resources to take advantage of a UIC education. I am proud of my alma mater as I see it truly committed to students who are the first in their families to attend college, first generation college goers, or simply from working class families that want more for their children.

"The Board of Visitors allows me to work with a dedicated group of alumni and non-alumni board members who provide counsel and advice to the dean and open doors for relationships that will strengthen the College in the future. As a BOV member, I have watched LAS maintain its commitment to access while developing into a first class educational and research destination for undergraduates and graduate students. I am proud of the University’s progress and appreciate the opportunity to participate as a donor and volunteer."