University of Miami alumnus Robert Mann, chair of the School of Communication’s Visiting Committee and a member of the UM Board of Trustees, has made a $1 million planned gift to a School of Communication scholarship fund.

Mann, B.A.’70, has designated his donation to the Samuel and Grace Mann Endowed Scholarship Fund, named after his parents. The fund supports scholarships for deserving undergraduate students majoring in broadcast journalism each year.

The gift, which is part of UM’s Momentum2 campaign, builds on Mann’s significant donations to the School of Communication over the years and to the University’s first Momentum campaign in 2005.

“I am pleased to continue giving to the School of Communication and supporting the wonderful progress President Donna Shalala and Dean Gregory Shepherd have made to ensure the University of Miami is a world-class university and the highest-rated educational institution in Florida,” Mann said.

The former president of R.A. Mann Inc. and a co-founder of U.S. Biochemical Corporation, a life science and biotechnology company in Cleveland, Ohio, Mann has been recognized numerous times for his unwavering commitment to his alma mater. He was named Henry King Stanford Alumnus of the Year in 2008 and has generously supported scholarships and facilities in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and at the School of Communication.

In 2002 he helped the School of Communication reach new heights by contributing $500,000 to the Communication Building Fund, which supported the construction of the International Building, a five-story, 24,600-square-foot-facility that includes state-of-the-art classrooms, a theater-style auditorium, and professionally equipped workrooms for student groups.

“I am grateful to Bob for this very generous gift to the scholarship, named in honor of his parents, Samuel and Grace Mann. Generation after generation of students will benefit from his kindness and care,” said Gregory J. Shepherd, dean of the School of Communication.

“Bob has given to us in every way possible—countless hours of his time, all his many talents, and now this monetary gift, adding to the already significant financial support he has provided over the years. It is difficult to express the level of appreciation I feel for Bob and his good works. We are incredibly fortunate to have him as a friend.”

Mann’s affinity for UM and the School of Communication began in 1968, when he was the first general manager and one of the founders of WVUM The Voice 90.5 FM, the University’s award-winning radio station.

Named chairman of the school’s Momentum2 fundraising campaign, Mann is helping the School of Communication raise $50 million for a technology fund, scholarships, hands-on learning experiences for students, endowed chairs in all of the school’s departments, and the creation of new centers of excellence in disciplines such as strategic communication, health communication, interactive media, and global communication.