Cable television pioneer Bill Daniels is donating $500,000 to the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law to establish a scholarship endowment fund.
Income from the fund will be used to assist law students who demonstrate a financial need and who have a "commitment to public service."
Daniels made the gift in the name of Gene Nichol, CU law professor and former dean of the law school, whom Daniels has long admired.
"I have made this gift to establish the Gene R. Nichol Scholarship Fund," said Daniels. "Gene聮s commitment to CU law students is unwavering. He remains steadfast to his community as well. It is fitting that his name be used to assist law students who are committed to public service."
"Bill Daniels is one of the most interesting and most generous people I have ever met," said Nichol. "I聮m deeply honored that he has chosen to support the students of the law school in this way."
Chancellor Richard L. Byyny said it was particularly fitting that the scholarship targets both financial need and commitment to public service.
"We believe that a good education contains a strong element of citizenship," he said, "and these scholarships will foster that goal."
This isn聮t the first time Bill Daniels has invested in the nation聮s youth. In 1987 he established the Young Americans Bank dedicated to providing a hands-on banking experience to children and young adults, and he has donated generously to the University of Denver to help its graduate school of business.
"Bill is a great friend of higher education and we are fortunate to benefit from this significant contribution," said CU Law School Dean Harold Bruff.
"The impact this will have on future generations of CU law students is invaluable."
Ever since 1952 when he built a Community Antenna Television system in Wyoming, Daniels has been a leader in the cable television industry, owning and operating hundreds of cable television systems in virtually every state in the nation. In 1988 he merged his Denver-based cable systems with United Artists Communications, which was later purchased by Tele-Communications, Inc.
Daniels also has left a lasting impression on sports through his ownership of professional sports teams (two-time President of the ABA, founding member of the US Football League and current owner of the NBA Lakers). He is also known for his involvement with sports programming through the creation of several cable sports networks -- Prime Network, Home Sports Entertainment, Prime Ticket Network, Prime International and Satellite Sports Network, to name a few.