Providence, RI -- Philip J. Whitcome, Ph.D., a member of the Providence College class of 1970 who died December 6, 2005, has bequeathed the College a gift of $5.2 million for scholarship purposes to benefit needy and deserving students in the natural sciences, mathematics, or computer science. The donation is the largest single gift designated for scholarships in the College's history.

"This generous bequest is particularly significant in light of the challenges we face in funding scholarships for deserving students," notes Providence College President Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. "At a time when the economic environment and federal policies are making it increasingly difficult for students to afford higher education, Providence College is committed to directing more of its resources to students who qualify for need-based financial aid. We are grateful that Dr. Whitcome, whose successful and influential career in the field of biotechnology began at Providence College, had the foresight to give future generations of deserving students the same opportunity he had to study here."

A molecular biologist, Whitcome earned a bachelor of science degree in physics from Providence College. He attended the College as a member of the Experimental Honors Research Training Program supported by the National Institutes of Health. He later earned a master of business administration degree from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and received his doctorate in molecular biology from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

Whitcome most recently served as a director and chairman of the board of Avigen, a San Francisco-based company that develops gene-based therapeutic products for the treatment of inherited and acquired diseases. From 1988 to 1994, he was the president and chief executive officer of Neurogen Corporation, a pharmaceutical firm that developed products for the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Prior to that, Whitcome served as director of strategic planning and in several other roles at Amgen Inc., a leading human therapeutics company in the biotechnology industry.  He also served as manager of corporate development for medical products at Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., a pharmaceutical and health care products company, and held research and marketing management positions with the Diagnostics Division of Abbott Laboratories, a pharmaceutical and medical products company.

A native of Brooklyn, NY, Whitcome served as the chairman of the board of trustees at Xaverian High School, from which he graduated in 1966. He was the first non-Xaverian brother to hold that position.

Whitcome previously established the Whitcome Family Scholarship Fund for Providence College students pursuing a major in the natural sciences. He also sponsored a stained glass window in the sanctuary of St. Dominic Chapel in honor of his late wife, Carla Witson Whitcome.

"Phil was a highly successful and respected scientist and businessman in the United States and abroad, yet he remained a refreshingly unpretentious person," noted Joseph Brum, Providence College's special assistant to the president for development who knew Whitcome for more than 20 years. "Despite the time and travel demands of his distinguished career, he stayed involved with PC and has a long record of generous charitable support. Phil was a caring individual who believed deeply in the College's educational and spiritual mission. His gift is a fitting legacy."