June 17, 2003

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The Samuel J. and Ethel LeFrak Foundation has announced it will donate $1 million to establish the Samuel J. LeFrak Scholars Fund at the University of Maryland.

The gift will be used to fund annual LeFrak Scholars in the sports of men's basketball (beginning in 2003-04), football (beginning in 2004-05) and men's track (beginning in 2005-06). Beginning in 2006-07, the three LeFrak scholarships will be awarded annually, concurrently and in perpetuity to three student-athletes who exhibit extraordinary athletic, leadership and academic achievement.

Prior to his death this past April, Samuel J. LeFrak, a 1940 graduate of the University of Maryland and one of its most distinguished alumni, was chairman of the Lefrak Organization, one of the world's largest private development companies. The firm's accomplishments include building Lefrak City, a community of apartments, stores and office buildings in Queens, N.Y.; and creating and developing Battery Park City in New York City, as well as Newport, a $10 billion mixed-use community in New Jersey on 600 acres overlooking the Hudson River.

While a student at Maryland, LeFrak was a varsity track letterman, president of the Latch Key Honor Society, and an officer of his class and of Tau Epsilon Phi.

"In keeping with Dr. LeFrak's dedicated support of the university for more than 60 years, the foundation is happy to sustain his wishes to help the school in its many endeavors to maintain high scholastic and athletic standards," said Deborah Dolan, director of the LeFrak Foundation.

Said athletics director Deborah A. Yow, "The LeFrak scholar-athletes will serve as role models to young people across the country. We are very grateful for the generosity of Dr. and Mrs. LeFrak."