Flora Laney Thornton was a philanthropist with a lifelong interest in higher education, the arts, preventive medicine and numerous charities. Thornton had already been involved in scholarship programs for USC music students in 1999 when she donated $25 million to the university’s School of Music, the largest donation to a school of music in the U.S. at the time. In recognition of her gift, the USC Board of Trustees voted to rename the school in her honor.