in 1996, the nicholas family gave $20 million to duke university for the school of the environment, which subsequently renamed the school in his honor. in 2000, nicholas was a recipient of the ellis island medal of honor. in 2004, nicholas and his wife ginny made another large pledge to duke, totaling $72 million. $70 million of that donation was to go to the nicholas school of the environment, while $2 million was to go to perkins library. however, as of february 2012, much of the $72 million pledge has "not" been paid to duke, far past the december 2008 deadline.