Mrs. Herman Sokol (center)
with former Sokol Fellows Giovanni Bosco and Sheila
Stewart.
In 1991, the late Mrs. Margaret Sokol established the
Margaret and Herman Sokol Postdoctoral Awards in Biomedical
Research to promote and enhance cancer-related research
at Whitehead Institute. Dr. Herman Sokol, a chemist
and former president of Bristol-Myers, served on Whitehead’s
Board of Directors from 1981 until his death from cancer
in 1985. Mrs. Sokol completed her husband’s term
on the Board and subsequently created the awards in
his honor. Dr. Sokol “had a faith that basic biomedical
research would be the engine to drive advances in clinical
practice,” Whitehead Member Robert Weinberg recalls.
To date, more than 20 Whitehead postdoctoral scientists
have benefited from Mrs. Sokol’s generosity.
Beyond its need for unrestricted annual fund gifts,
Whitehead Institute has an ongoing need for special,
major gifts like Mrs. Sokol’s. Major gifts are
generally substantial in size and designated to support
a particular program at Whitehead. Major gift pledges
are often fulfilled over a number of years.
