The Marist College community was delighted to welcome upperclassmen, transfers, and first-year students for the 2021–22 academic year. The campus is bustling once again as classes and activities are in full gear. From academics to athletics, the Marist College experience is made possible only because of the generosity of dedicated alumni, parents, trustees, and friends. We are pleased to share news of recent gifts to the College.
Scholarships remain Marist’s most urgent fundraising priority, and alumni continue to step forward to help deserving students realize their dreams of a Marist education.
Trustee Don Duet ’88 and his wife, Madoka, have expanded their exceptional support of scholarships for top technology students through the Duet Family Technology Scholarship program. The Duets’ recent pledge includes the creation of renewable term scholarships for an incoming freshman in 2022, 2023, and 2024, as well as the establishment of an endowed technology scholarship that will exist in perpetuity. Their support has significantly enhanced the College’s ability to attract, enroll, and retain some of the most sought-after future leaders in computer science and information systems and technology in the nation.
Marist Trustee Rob Shanahan ’83 and his wife, Heather, recently made a generous gift to establish the Shanahan Family Endowed Scholarship. Beginning in the fall of 2022, this scholarship will be awarded to a freshman enrolled in the School of Management with strong leadership potential and demonstrated financial need. A business major during his years at Marist, Rob played on the Marist hockey team and went on to an accomplished career as a technology executive and entrepreneur, serving most recently as president and CEO of Lightower Fiber Networks.
Joshua ’99 and Carolyn Matheus ’02 recently made a generous pledge to launch a new endowed scholarship, the second endowed scholarship that they have established at Marist.
Dedicated alumni couple Joshua ’99 and Carolyn Matheus ’02 recently made a generous pledge to establish a new endowed scholarship that further supports the College’s diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The Joshua & Carolyn Matheus Diversity Scholarship will be awarded to entering freshmen pursuing undergraduate degrees in STEM majors offered in the School of Computer Science and Mathematics and the School of Science. Preference for this renewable scholarship will be given to historically underrepresented students and first-generation college students. Josh and Carolyn have also made a special gift to activate the scholarship while the endowment is building, which has enabled an initial award to be granted to a deserving freshman who entered this fall. This is the second endowed scholarship that Josh, a managing director in the Technology Division at Goldman Sachs, and Carolyn, associate professor of information systems and director of Marist’s Honors Program, have established at Marist. The Joshua & Carolyn Matheus '99/'02 Endowed Scholarship was created in 2017 and supports women in STEM majors.
Longtime Marist supporters Frank ’70 and Maureen Liantonio, founding members of the Marist Legacy Society, recently made a generous pledge to expand the Liantonio Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship. Originally established in 2015, the scholarship provides assistance to academically talented students majoring in business with demonstrated financial need. A member of the Class of 1970 50th Reunion Planning Committee, Frank also made a generous gift to support the Class of 1970 Scholarship.
The Class of 1970 successfully established a new endowed scholarship in honor of its 50th Reunion, which will be held in the fall of 2022. Led by 50th Reunion Gift Co-Chairs Bill Leber and Ed Zujkowski, the Class of 1970 Scholarship surpassed the endowment threshold with more than $66,000 raised and welcomed its first scholarship recipient this year. In addition to Bill and Ed, the 50th Reunion Planning Committee members include Bill Dourdis, Larry Kazemier, Bro. John Klein, FMS, Frank Liantonio, Jim McGlumphy, Anthony Miserandino, Bro. Sean Sammon, FMS, Doug Stuart, Ed Walzer, Bob Krenn, Jack McGowan, and Vince Begley. The late Martin Gyves actively participated as a Committee member as well. The Committee’s ongoing engagement and outreach to classmates are contributing significantly to building enthusiasm for the Class of ’70’s landmark celebration.
In celebration of its graduation from Marist 50 years ago, the Class of 1971 launched a scholarship drive to create an endowed fund to assist students with significant financial need. Co-Chaired by classmates Phil Glennon, Dr. Anne Berinato Matheus, Mike McNeely, Dr. Terry Mooney, and Dr. Steve Wysowski, the effort far surpassed its goal of raising $50,000 with over $102,000 committed to date. In addition to the co-chairs, Gift Committee members include Louis Emery, Tom Ferrara, Ed Fogarty, Joe Gebbia, Don Hinchey, Jack McDonnell, Terence Nash, Bill Rooney, and Bill Spenla. Their excellent work was complemented by the terrific outreach efforts of members of the 50th Reunion Planning Committee which, in addition to the co-chairs and Gift Committee members, include Jim Aridas, Bob Bergin, Paul Browne, Dean Gestal, Russ Jones, Brendan Mooney, John Murphy, Tony Parga, Patricia Picco, Joe Rubino, Jim Steinmeyer, Bill Thonack, Mark Tynan, and Bob Yurch. The first Class of 1971 Scholarship will be awarded in the fall of 2022 during the Class of 1971’s 50-Year Reunion.
The Louis Greenspan Charitable Trust has made another significant commitment to the College to further build the endowment of the Louis Greenspan Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship has made a significant impact over the years, providing invaluable financial assistance to 39 deserving Marist students since it was first awarded in 2004. The longstanding support and advocacy of Greenspan Trustees Dan Curtin and Gary Koch has advanced a number of priority capital projects as well as this meaningful scholarship initiative over the years.
Christopher Bricker ’91 and his wife, Jennifer, recently established a new endowed scholarship in memory of Jennifer’s father, Michael C. Holland. Created to honor his extraordinary commitment to serving the public, the scholarship will be awarded to a first-year student who has shown a strong devotion to community service. Chris, who serves as head of Alliance Bernstein Arya Partners and a member of the board’s Operating Committee, cites his Marist experience as a key factor in his career success. As head of AB Arya Partners, he is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, and overall results of the group. Chris and Jennifer are very excited that their daughter, Amanda, is a member of the Class of 2025.
Dedicated Marist couple Elizabeth (“Beth”) Marshdoyle ’75 and James (“Jay”) A. Doyle ’75 are generously supporting the establishment of a new endowed scholarship in loving memory of their infant daughter. The Emily Marie Doyle Scholarship will be awarded to a first-year student majoring in science with demonstrated financial need. Preference will be given to environmental science majors, though consideration may also be given to students majoring in biology or chemistry. Beth, an executive at Apple, Inc., majored in environmental science at Marist and went on to earn a master’s degree from The Ohio State University and an EdD from Northeastern University. As one of 14 children, Beth greatly appreciated the scholarships she received at Marist. Jay, a political science major who also earned a master’s degree from The Ohio State University, is a senior project director at AECOM. A cross-country and track student-athlete at Marist, Jay values the important role that the Marist community has played in his life.
The Lavelle Fund for the Blind has again made a meaningful gift to support scholarships for blind or visually impaired students at Marist in memory of beloved Trustee Bro. Jim Kearney, FMS ’53. Brother Jim served on the Lavelle Fund Board since its inception in 1999 and chaired the board’s Scholarship Committee. Marist is honored to offer these scholarships in memory of Brother Jim, who in the great tradition of the Marist Brothers dedicated his life to teaching and service.
Marist also recognizes the continued generosity of the James J. McCann Charitable Trust. The trust recently provided a grant extending its invaluable support of scholarships for deserving traditional-age Marist students who live in Dutchess County and graduate from county high schools. This is the 53rd year the trust has supported this special program that has benefited innumerable local students who have gone on to complete their degrees at Marist.
The James J. McCann Charitable Trust has also made possible landmark athletic facilities that continue to serve Marist and the entire Hudson River Valley community well. Over the years, support from the trust and its trustees — the late John “Jack” Gartland, Jr.; his late son, Mike Gartland; Mike’s son, Patrick Gartland; the late Richard Corbally; and Richard’s son, John Corbally — truly has been transformational.
The School of Management (SoM) Advisory Board, led by Chair Tim Keneally ’69, again raised meaningful support to provide scholarships for graduating seniors who demonstrate both academic excellence and financial need. For the third consecutive year, the board will award six one-time scholarships in the amount of $5,000 each to deserving SoM students to help reduce the burden of their student loans. In addition, the board’s fundraising efforts this year include garnering support for an endowed scholarship that will help ensure that much-needed assistance continues to be available for SoM students for generations to come.
The premier annual fundraising event to benefit this important scholarship initiative was the SoM Advisory Board Golf Outing. This year’s outing, held Sept. 27, 2021, at the Saint Andrew’s Golf Club in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, honored one of the School’s most successful graduates: Marist Trustee and co-founder of Priceline.com Tim Brier ’69. The outing significantly surpassed its fundraising goal, securing more than $65,000 toward term and endowed scholarships. Special thanks go to dedicated Golf Committee members Michael Babic ’04, Tim Keneally ’69, Greg Garville ’74, Kevin Hogan ’02, Tom Murray ’02, Maureen Solero, and Kim Viggiano ’02 for their outstanding work leading this successful and impactful effort.