Sidney R. Knafel ’52 believes in leverage—in business, education and philanthropy.

“You want to have a larger sound than the voice you’re expressing,” he says.

Teaming up with other people, either in business ventures or in philanthropy, is the way Knafel says he has gained that sort of leverage.

And supporting Harvard is Knafel’s way of making a difference and contributing to the advancement of education.

Knafel has donated $14 million to Harvard for the construction of the Center for Government and International Studies (CGIS)—originally named the Knafel Center. It will house the Department of Government as well as various research centers related to government and international affairs.

Construction should have begun by now, but after hundreds of hours of talk and debate with the city, the University is still negotiating for the final permits.

The building plan by architect Henry N. Cobb proposes two four-story buildings of rounded glass and terra cotta facing each other across Cambridge Street. The latest point of contention is an underground tunnel beneath the street that would link the buildings.

The project has now grown so much in cost that the University last fall asked Knafel if it could name just one of the buildings after him—and free up the other building to attract some other major donor.

Knafel said last fall he could have dug in his heels and insisted on keeping his name over the entire center, but after “forthright” talks with University fundraisers he agreed to the naming change.

“Calling two buildings ‘Knafel Center’ satisfies a crying ego need I apparently have,” Knafel said. “But I figured I could overcome that and free up a building for some guy who’s got to come along and shell out a couple of bucks.”

“There are too many things Harvard has to do,” he added. “One thing they shouldn’t have to do is battle with their supporters.”

His approach to his center is indicative of how he treats Harvard in general—with humor, a heartfelt reverence and warmth.

He says Harvard has been—for him and others—a “wonderful place to grow up and become aware of the world.”

But Knafel says his personal experiences at Harvard are not the reason he has donated so much to the advancement of the University. Excellence, rather than personal connection, is what Knafel says brings him to provide his support.

“I don’t get involved in Harvard because I’m trying to give back. Consciously that’s not a factor for me,” he says. “I believe that helping Harvard can really make a difference in the world. The fact that I went there, that’s just a coincidence.”