James “Jim” P. McGinty ’64CBA, ’66MBA, ’85HON

When James “Jim” P. McGinty ’64CBA, ’66MBA, ’85HON was deciding where to attend college, his choice was both simple and practical.

“I lived with my family in Brooklyn, and the Schermerhorn Street campus of St. John’s was only a short distance from where I had been going to high school,” he said. “It had a good reputation, and it was also convenient because I could go to school and work at the same time.”

Mr. McGinty joined the Marine Corps after earning his M.B.A., and served on active duty for three years, including 13 months in Vietnam. He ultimately earned the rank of Colonel in the Marine Reserve, while putting his business degrees to good use as an executive with a number of prestigious firms. “My education at St. John’s and my leadership experience in the Marine Corps both contributed to whatever success I may have achieved.”

Combining these two passions, he established the Semper Fi Scholarship Fund to provide need-based financial assistance to St. John’s students who aspire to be Marine Corps officers, particularly those who enlist in the Marine Platoon Leader Class program while at the University. Two other St. John’s alumni, Jim Burgio and Edward F. Smith, both undergraduate classmates and fellow Marines, joined him as cofounders.

“I have always maintained my affiliation with St. John’s and with the Marine Corps,” Mr. McGinty acknowledged. “And this scholarship is a great way to show my appreciation to both. I have met many Marines who are graduates of the University, and I hope they will support the fund.”

For more information, please contact Susan Damiani ’87CBA, Director of the Office of Gift Planning and The McCallen Society, at 718-990-7562; damianis@stjohns.edu.