Produced by: Office of Communications, Institutional Advancement
December 15, 2013
For the members of The McCallen Society, the future of St. John’s University has already begun. They strongly believe in the University, and have invested in it by including St. John’s in their estate plans.
And both their numbers and their generosity are on the rise.
At the Annual McCallen Society Recognition Mass and Luncheon, they were happy to learn that their membership has increased to an all-time high of 571, with 30 new members joining within the past year. Collectively, they contributed more than $2.3 million to the University during the past fiscal year, a striking reflection of their desire to keep St. John’s strong for years to come.
That exceptional generosity has had an immediate and lasting impact that has been felt throughout the University. In addition to supporting scholarship assistance for deserving students, it has provided much-needed resources for enhanced academic programs and improved campus facilities. It has also helped St. John’s to fulfill its Vincentian mission of reaching out to those in need.
“As members of The McCallen Society, you are ensuring that the values which we cherish so dearly will be passed along to our students, and our world, for generations to come,” noted St. John’s University President Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., S.T.D. “I know that our mission has touched each of us to the very core of our existence. Without your support, the University would simply not be what it is today. Thank you for all that you have done for St. John’s.”
Maintaining a strong connection to the Vincentian community and their commitment to serving the needs of others is nothing new to Jack Scheich ’63C, ’66L. During elementary school he served as an altar boy at St. John the Baptist Church in Brooklyn, and then went on to spend four years at St. John’s Preparatory High School. When it came time to move on to college, St. John’s was the natural choice.
With the generous financial assistance offered by the University, Scheich earned his undergraduate degree at St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and his J.D. from St. John’s School of Law. His membership in The McCallen Society reflects his lifelong appreciation for what the University did for him so many years ago.
“I would never have been able to attend these great schools without their monetary aid, because my family just couldn’t afford it,” he said. “Back then, the powers that be always made sure my tuition was paid, so I want to return the favor. And to see what’s gone on at the University – the transformation of the campus, in particular – shows me that we’ve all had a very strong and meaningful impact.”
For additional information about The McCallen Society, please contact Susan Damiani ’87CBA, Director, Office of Gift Planning, at (718) 990-7562 or e-mail [email protected]