Gifts in Action - Sid Port

MEET SID PORT

Sid Port may not have been an alumnus, but he was a true friend of the University of Illinois at Chicago.

A long-time staunch supporter of the University, Port was honored in 1999 with the University of Illinois Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award for his numerous contributions to UIC. Port passed away in June 2007; he was 96.

WHY HE GAVE

The dyed-in-the-wool Chicago native said, “Urbana will always be my alma mater, but I only spent four years there and have spent 90 years in Chicago. I want to help build UIC into an outstanding urban campus …the best in the country.”

HOW HE GAVE

Port established at UIC the Sandi Port Errant Language and Culture Learning Center, named for his beloved daughter who succumbed to a brain tumor in 2004 at age 55.

“She was interested in languages and helping people. She gave freely of herself and was always charitable. She would have liked this kind of place,” said Port.

Port’s significant lead gift will enable UIC to have a state-of-the-art learning center, which is needed to meet increasing student demand. This noteworthy project will be fully funded through a matching allocation from the campus.

Port’s extremely generous gifts to the University have also helped build the Rebecca Port Faculty-Student Center, the Port Academic Center in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Sidney L. Port Hall of Excellence.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

John Lowenberg, UIC deputy associate chancellor for development, says, “Thanks to Mr. Port’s generous gift, UIC students will have a first-class instructional environment in which they can work with talented faculty to prepare them for the competitive global marketplace.”

Lowenberg adds, “Mr. Port was a quiet philanthropist. He didn’t desire the limelight. He was part of the fabric of Chicago as well as UIC and was truly a partner in our mission. I was privileged to know him.”