University of Rochester Trustee Cathy Minehan and her husband, Jerry Corrigan, have committed an additional $1 million of support to the endowed scholarship they established at the University in 2004.
The scholarship provides assistance for students in the School of Arts & Sciences. Recipients must have significant financial need, and preference is given to underrepresented minorities and/or athletes in good academic standing, and those pursuing research in the social sciences directed by a faculty member. Eleven students have been awarded the scholarship since its creation a decade ago.
“This is a wonderful way for Cathy and Jerry to build on their legacy of student support,” said Peter Lennie, provost and the Robert L. and Mary L. Sproull Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Sciences & Engineering. “Their generous commitment to the Minehan-Corrigan Scholarship fund advances a crucial part of our mission: to provide opportunities for talented students with financial need.”
Minehan is co-chair of The Meliora Challenge, the University’s $1.2 billion comprehensive campaign, for which student support is a priority. She explained she and her husband are happy that they have been able to provide funding for so many interesting, intelligent, and multi-talented students.
“They’ve been amazing,” said Minehan of the recipients. “The quality of the students who have benefited from this scholarship over the years has been impressive, and Jerry and I have benefited from getting to know them.”
The scholarship was partially inspired by Minehan’s son, Brian, a double major in political science and economics who graduated in 2004. He was also goalie for the University’s soccer team. Minehan has come to admire the University’s philosophy of selecting athletes whose academic standing and abilities are comparable with those of every other student on campus.
“Along with athletic success, Rochester student athletes also have the academic background that can lead to successful careers or allow them to go on to graduate school,” said Minehan. “More colleges should have the same expectations of their student athletes.”
Minehan graduated from the University of Rochester with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1968. She currently serves as the dean of the School of Management at Simmons College, Boston, MA. Jerry Corrigan is a managing director at Goldman Sachs who sits on many of the key operating committees of that company, and is non-executive chairman of the firm’s banks in the U.S., the United Kingdom, and Japan.
In addition to their endowed scholarship fund, Cathy and Jerry established the Corrigan-Minehan Professorship in Political Science in the College of Arts, Sciences & Engineering in 2007. They are also charter members of the George Eastman Circle, the University’s leadership annual giving society.
