Story #29: Henry Salvatori
Long-time USC trustee Henry Salvatori strongly believed that every citizen had a duty for service. He was known for saying, “Freedom is not free and we all must take responsibility for our society.”
It was this belief that led him to a life dedicated towards serving others. He felt that the best way to understand complex societal issues was to get on the ground and work with communities themselves.
This attitude inspired him and his wife Grace to become philanthropists – with their work touching the lives of college students from universities across the country. In addition to USC, the Salvatoris were benefactors of Claremont McKenna College, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Pepperdine University, and Boston University.
Henry Salvatori believed it was imperative for college students to serve their communities. He embraced the idea of service-learning: experiential learning that combines community service with what’s being taught in the classroom.
These beliefs are what drew him to J-E-P. Henry Salvatori was one of J-E-P’s strongest supporters up until his death in 1997.
He established the Grace Ford Salvatori Community Scholarship fund at J-E-P in honor of his wife’s lifelong commitment to serving others. This scholarship has been granted to six students every year since 1992 – all of which exemplify Grace Ford Salvatori’s community-minded spirit.
He created the scholarship to encourage students in the Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences to continue their dedication to service alongside their academic studies. In this spirit, recipients of the scholarship demonstrate academic excellence along with exemplary leadership.
Last year’s recipients were Kyana Huang, Kelly Nguyen, and Kati Wedekind. These students, who are all majoring in health sciences, have shown a continued commitment to serving the greater Los Angeles community. A community that was very near to Salvatoris’ hearts.
In addition to this scholarship, Salvatori graciously donated $1.5 million dollars to endow J-E-P in 1994. The effects of his generosity and support of our programs are still felt at J-E-P to this day.
Without the unwavering support from Henry and Grace Ford Salvatori, J-E-P would not be the program it is today.