Alumni
A $10 Million Gift from Christina M. Dennis (BS ’80) Fuels NYU Stern’s Commitment to Access, Opportunity, and Transformative Teaching and Research
—
In the fall of 2025, NYU Stern celebrated a transformative $10 million gift from alumna Christina Dennis (BS ’80), a member of the Stern Executive Board and the NYU Board of Trustees. The gift reflects Dennis’ enduring commitment to expanding access, strengthening community, and inspiring a culture of collective philanthropy—values shaped by her own experience as a scholarship recipient.
Dennis’ contribution will support scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students, invest in new ideas that advance Stern’s teaching and research mission, and enhance the physical spaces that define the School’s collaborative environment. In recognition of her generosity, the upper concourse lobby outside the Paulson Auditorium in Tisch Hall—one of Stern’s most vibrant gathering places—has been named the Christina M. Dennis Lobby.
To mark the occasion, Stern hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception in October, bringing together University leadership, faculty, alumni, and students. NYU President Linda Mills opened the event with remarks of gratitude, followed by Evan Chesler, chair of the NYU Board of Trustees, and Stern Dean Bharat Anand. Together, they highlighted Dennis’ longstanding dedication to the University and her profound impact on the Stern community.
“Chris is a role model in every sense of the word, resolutely sharing her time, talents, and financial support to increase access and create the best possible experiences for our students,” said Dean Anand. “Her latest commitment extends that legacy in profound ways, empowering Stern to make strategic investments that strengthen the ideas, collaborations, and community that are cornerstones of Stern’s culture.”
From left: NYU Trustees Chair Evan Chesler, NYU President Linda Mills, Christina Dennis (BS ‘80), NYU Stern Dean Anand Bharat
For Dennis, the gift is both personal and purposeful. “I am a scholarship recipient and have always felt that I benefited not only from the financial support, but knowing that someone believed in me,” she said. “I hope to inspire others with the belief that the impossible is possible.”
A founding partner and former Head of Trading at Palantir Capital, Dennis built a distinguished career in finance after beginning at Merrill Lynch. Since 2002, she has led her philanthropic efforts through the Christina Dennis Foundation, supporting causes spanning education, social services, and animal welfare. At Stern, her focus is clear: to create opportunity and to encourage others to join her in doing the same.
Central to Dennis’ approach is the idea that philanthropy can be catalytic. Through matching challenges tied to NYU One Day and other initiatives, she has helped galvanize participation across the Stern community, turning individual contributions into collective momentum.
By pairing her generosity with a call to action, Dennis is not only investing in Stern’s future, she is redefining what leadership can look like.
Christina Dennis (BS ‘80) at the ribbon-cutting ceremony
Q&A with Christina Dennis
You’ve structured your support to encourage others to participate through matching challenges. What inspired you to make collective action part of your philanthropy?
I love matching grants because they work!! They create a buzz around the fundraising opportunity that usually wasn’t there before and invite other donors to participate, creating a bigger pool for the next challenge. It gives me great joy to see our community rally together to keep raising the bar, especially for such an amazing cause as NYU Stern scholarships and programs.
How do you hope your example will influence other women in business to see philanthropy and board service as an extension of leadership?
Someone has to go first. Someone has to show that it can be done. It has never been my goal to be public with my philanthropy—in fact, just the opposite. But it was brought to my attention by other women philanthropists that our shyness does not serve anyone. Over time, it has grown into a more public role, and I find it so rewarding when others step forward too.