$40 million gift to college from Louise Strauss is the largest to date
Harcum College has announced a transformative $40 million gift from Louise Strauss, a longtime trustee, benefactor, and champion of the college’s mission.
The extraordinary gift is the largest in Harcum’s 110-year history, more than doubling its endowment and reshaping the future of the small private institution.
With fewer than 1,000 students and an annual operating budget of just over $23 million, Harcum has long served as a critical access point to higher education for underrepresented and nontraditional students.
The college’s endowment previously stood at $25 million—making the Strauss gift not only a financial milestone but a historic turning point in the school’s evolution.
Louise Strauss, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, joined Harcum’s board of trustees in 2009 and served in various leadership roles.
Over the years, she quietly endowed multiple scholarship funds and supported significant capital improvements, often declining public recognition.
She preferred to make her impact felt in practical, lasting ways—showing up to cheer for Harcum’s athletic teams or meeting one-on-one with students receiving her scholarships.
“Louise never wanted attention or headlines,” said Harcum President Jon Jay DeTemple. “She believed in the power of education to change lives, and she believed in Harcum’s role as a place where people get second chances and real opportunity. Her legacy is not only financial.
It’s deeply human.” He recalled how she consistently turned down invitations to donor dinners and recognition ceremonies, choosing instead to stay close to the college’s mission through quiet action.
The gift will be used to support student recruitment and retention, provide additional financial aid, upgrade facilities, and expand academic programming in health care, design, business, and human services—areas where Harcum has built a strong reputation over the years.
DeTemple described the donation as “transformational,” saying it would “improve every part of our campus and advance our mission for years to come.”
The Strauss family’s connection to Harcum dates back decades.
Louise’s father, Hilary Strauss, was also a devoted trustee who helped recruit President DeTemple and who, alongside his wife, Ione, laid the philanthropic foundation upon which Louise built.
Their long-standing support of the college has included community engagement, capital campaigns, and the establishment of endowed funds. In many ways, the $40 million bequest represents a culmination of a multi-generational commitment to educational access.
Beyond the numbers, the gift underscores the power of sustained, mission-driven giving. In an era when large donations often come with splashy press releases and naming rights, Strauss’s approach was different, rooted in humility, trust, and a belief in the long arc of institutional transformation.
“This gift honors who Louise was,” said David Jacobson, former chair of the board.
“She served quietly, gave generously, and never stopped believing in Harcum’s students. Her legacy will be felt in every corner of this campus and in every student who walks through its doors.”
As Harcum prepares to unveil a new five-year strategic plan, college leaders say the Strauss bequest provides both the foundation and the freedom to dream bigger.
For an institution built on second chances and community service, it’s a decisive vote of confidence—and a defining moment in its history.