October 16, 2009. CCNMTL mourns the passing of Lionel I. Pincus, chairman emeritus of the Trustees of Columbia University and CCNMTL benefactor. Mr. Pincus' $10 million gift made possible the launching of the Center in 1999 as noted in a Columbia University Record article published on March 29, 1999.

A few years later in October 2004, Mr. Pincus was able to see the results of his gift when he visited the Center. The CCNMTL founding directors, Frank Moretti and Maurice Matiz, gave Mr. Pincus a lengthy demonstration of the services and projects that had been developed by the Center through his generosity.