Christopher Barnett Donates $55 Million to Temple University

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Christopher Barnett, a successful entrepreneur in real estate and healthcare, has donated $55 million to Temple University, marking the largest single gift in the institution’s history. This donation comes as Barnett reflects on how the university changed his life nearly two decades ago when he was an ambitious transfer student.

Barnett, now 42, made headlines when he vividly recalled his determination to attend Temple University despite being initially rejected. He personally visited the admissions office and waited hours until he was granted an audience with then-director Carolyn Thorpe, who ultimately accepted him on the spot.

“I said I need you to take a chance on me, and if you do that, I promise you I will graduate with a 4.0 and I’ll be a prominent alum and I’ll give back to the university,” Barnett said.

Barnett kept that promise, graduating with a 4.0 GPA and later establishing a successful career. His recent donation will primarily support Temple’s College of Public Health and create an autism center, reflecting his commitment to improving services for those affected by autism.

“I believe in Temple University,” Barnett stated. “It helped shape who I am and what I’ve been able to do for my communities.”

The donation will fund scholarships and academic programs aimed at enhancing student success. The public health college, which recently moved into a new building costing $160 million, will be named after Barnett.

In a poignant gesture, Barnett reached out to Thorpe’s daughter, Ebonie Thorpe, a teacher in Philadelphia, to share the news of his gift. “It was magical to hear someone talk about the impact that my mother had on him,” she commented.

Barnett previously established a $1 million lab for autism research at Temple and has funded various initiatives, including food pantry services and scholarships for students studying abroad in Europe. His company, ABA Centers of America, which he founded after struggling to find quality care for his daughter with autism, now has over 2,500 employees.

With an eye toward the future, Barnett noted, “My goal and my family’s goal is to use our resources to create positive impact in the world.”