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Gift from former Dean of Students Gary Clinton and alumnus Don Millinger supports scholarship

May 01, 2017

Don Millinger L'79 and former Dean of Students Gary Clinton have established a new scholarship as part of a gift to Penn Law.
Don Millinger L'79 and former Dean of Students Gary Clinton have established a new scholarship as part of a gift to Penn Law.
Gary Clinton and his husband, Penn Law graduate and lawyer Don Millinger L’79, have designated a portion of their estate to support the Law School’s Clinton-Millinger Scholarship program.

Former Dean of Students Gary Clinton was an icon of the Penn Law community. For decades, he served as a sounding board and support system for students at the Law School. When students needed someone to turn to, they knew they could always count on Dean Clinton.

But even with his retirement in 2016, Clinton isn’t finished giving back to the Law School. He and his husband, Penn Law graduate and lawyer Don Millinger L’79, have designated a portion of their estate to support the Law School’s Clinton-Millinger Scholarship program.

The Clinton-Millinger Scholarship provides funding throughout the student’s Law School career. As an acknowledgement of Clinton and Millinger’s decades of support of the LGBTQ community at Penn Law, the scholarship has a preference for an LGBTQ student.

“The scholarship goes to support somebody who has overcome significant obstacles in their life,” said Clinton. “The preference is for someone who has worked hard, faced life, and won a place at Penn Law.”

Clinton’s dedication to the Penn Law community has influenced generations of students. The initial funding for the scholarship was raised by Penn Law alumni on the occasion of his retirement. Led by Eric Klinger-Wilensky L’03, a partner with Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell’s Delaware Corporate Consulting Group, the effort was a testament to Clinton’s iconic status in the Law School community.

Clinton and Millinger decided to designate a part of their estate in support of the scholarship as a reflection of their lasting dedication to the Law School — and the Law School’s lasting impact on them.

The couple arrived at Penn Law in 1976. Millinger was a first-year law student, and Clinton joined the Law School’s staff as a stack attendant in Biddle Law Library. Millinger graduated with his JD in 1979 and is now retired from his position as Vice President and General Counsel of Global Cultural Asset Management, a museum consulting firm. Clinton rose through the ranks at Penn Law, eventually becoming Dean of Students in 1992.

“I was at Penn Law for 40 years,” said Clinton. “Our lives are so connected to Penn Law, both professionally and personally.”

“I really believe in Penn people,” added Clinton.

“We have a set of values and core beliefs that are important to us,” said Millinger, specifically noting his and Clinton’s lifetime of support for social justice and civil rights organizations.

“Throughout his tenure at Penn Law, Gary Clinton ensured that students always had the support they needed to face the challenges — whether academic or personal — that confronted them.” said Ted Ruger, Dean of the Law School and Bernard G. Segal Professor of Law. “This gift ensures that Gary and Don’s support will continue on, even for students who have never had the pleasure of knowing them.”

“While it may not be the first way our alumni may think to show their support, a testamentary gift is a powerful way to support the ongoing growth of the Law School,” said Elizabeth C. Brown, Vice Dean for Development & Alumni Relations. “Testamentary gifts ensure that the excellence of a Penn Law education continues and is strengthened for generations to come.”

To discuss the establishment of a testamentary gift in support of the Law School, please contact Albert Russo, Senior Major Gifts Officer at alrusso@law.upenn.edu.