Giving Back and Giving Thanks

By Charles McKenzie, May 5, 2023

Donor Scholar Bruncheon highlights the impact of giving.

Carrie and Art Ostrander, Dean Emeritus of Music, met with current IC students at the first annual Donor Scholar Brunch.

(Photo by Dave Burbank)

Gratitude and inspiration were on the bruncheon menu on Saturday, April 29, as nearly 100 Ithaca College donors, scholarship recipients, faculty and staff gathered to share stories on the impact of philanthropy and opportunity at the inaugural Donor Scholar Bruncheon, held in Emerson Suites.

“Philanthropy is such a critical part of the Ithaca College experience, yet often its cumulative impact can be invisible,” President La Jerne Terry Cornish told the crowd. “It is easy to see the influence of large donations to the college. It’s on the sides of our buildings, on the plaques found around our campus, on the names of our scholarships. These major gifts are very important, but I want all of you here to know – especially our students – that all philanthropy to Ithaca College makes a difference.”

Joining Cornish in thanking donors directly, interim Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement M. Quincy Davidson said, “As donors, you have provided opportunities for students, contributed to great research, assisted new program growth and supported experiential learning that has both immediate and lasting impact at Ithaca College.”

“I wanted to help people, just like the physical therapists who helped my mom. But without the generosity of my scholarship donors, I never would have been able to afford a private college.”

Keynote speaker Madison Kramer ’24, DPT ’26

That impact can be seen in the story of Olivia Carpenter ’22, owner of Via’s Cookies on the Ithaca Commons.

“I'm standing before you today to say thank you for investing in students like me,” she said. “The only way I could have gone to college would be if I received scholarships.”

Both Olivia Carpenter '22 (left) and Madison Kramer ’24, DPT ’26 shared stories about how scholarships and other forms of donor support were critical to their ability to attend and thrive at IC. (Photos by Dave Burbank)

Once at IC, Carpenter’s journey as a business owner was further helped by philanthropy, thanks to the college’s Startup Demo Day. At the donor-funded event, she earned three prizes, totaling more than $6,500.

With her business growing, Carpenter makes sure that current students can feel the impact of philanthropy. She gives 5% of her profits to students within the BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ community.

Keynote speaker and physical therapy major Madison Kramer ’24, DPT ’26 has also felt the impact of giving. She was just 14 years old when her mother was diagnosed with cancer, and the family’s pile of medical bills grew.

Soon, she went to her high school guidance counselor and expressed questions and doubts about being able to afford the next step in her dream.

“I told him that I wanted to help people, just like the physical therapists who helped my mom,” she remembers. “But without the generosity of my scholarship donors, I never would have been able to afford a private college.”

“Today, we heard firsthand the immense power of giving to over 400 endowed funds and scholarships. Your generosity, along with our students’ hard work and perseverance, help them overcome challenges, experience new things and remain on course to succeed here at Ithaca College.”

Interim Vice President for Philanthropy and Engagement M. Quincy Davidson

At IC, Kramer earned the Anne Siegel ’81 Memorial Scholarship and the Emmet Boldt ’60 Scholarship.

Speaking on behalf of all the students at the bruncheon, she described the impact of their respective scholarships.

“They mean we can continue following our dreams and to give back to this community that has been so generous to us,” she said.

Kramer shared a table with scholarship recipient and athletic training major Sophia Testani ’24, who has three siblings who attended private schools, including her brother Andrew ’22. Sophia works in Dining Services and received a Pepsi scholarship because of her work.

The brunch allowed students a chance to meet with individuals who generously give to the college, such as Diane Conneman (right), a member of the Blue & Gold Society.

(Photo by Dave Burbank)

“I was so proud to be able to help out my parents a little,” Testani said.

Stories like Kramer’s and Testani’s could be seen across generations of IC students. More than 60 years ago, just as the college was moving from downtown to South Hill, music major Mary Arlin ’61 found herself in a similar predicament.

“My brother was in college at the same time as me, and scholarships meant that I didn’t have to hold down more than one part-time job to help pay for my school.”

“Your philanthropy helps sustain the wonderful experiences that our students have on our campus, and it will preserve the quality of that IC experience for so many more students in the years ahead.”

President La Jerne Terry Cornish

In her last year as an undergraduate student, Arlin also received a Friends of Ithaca College scholarship, and she went on to graduate school. In the decades since then, Arlin, an emerita IC music professor, has made philanthropy to her alma mater a priority.

“Once I was gainfully employed, I immediately started giving back to the college,” she said.

The day was filled with students sharing their personal stories with the donors whose generosity impacts them (Photo by Dave Burbank)

Arlin attended the brunch to meet Lila Weiser ’23, the recipient of the Craig McHenry ’30, M.M ’44 Scholarship, which Arlin helped fund, and Kaley Driscoll ’24, a scholarship recipient who commutes 30 minutes from Genoa to save on room and board.

“I was extremely inspired and impressed by all of the wonderful things these energetic young people are doing,” Arlin said, “especially getting involved in the community.”

Weiser is a flutist and student teacher who has already taught and performed in Ithaca and Buffalo. Chief of Staff on IC's Student Governance Council, she will graduate this month certified to teach K-12 music in New York.

Connecting these donors and recipients was one of the goals of the brunch, said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Melanie Stein.

“I’ve heard so many great conversations today,” she said. “This room was filled with amazing and inspiring stories.”

That sentiment was shared by Michael J. Kaplan ’85, who has hired dozens of his fellow Bombers for full-time jobs and internships, even funding the NYC Big Apple Intern Award.

“I’ve always tried to give back where I can and encourage others to do the same, whether it’s time, energy or money,” he said.

President La Jerne Terry Cornish's remarks highlighted how donors provide current IC students with unique and special opportunities.

(Photo by Dave Burbank)

The alumnus and former member of the Ithaca College Board of Trustees also endowed the Michael J. Kaplan ’85 Scholarship, funds from which are awarded to students in the Roy H. Park School of Communications who are taking part in an internship opportunity. The money from the endowed scholarship is also invested by the college to lengthen the impact of the funds.

“It’s going to continue to pay out over the years, and that’s a great feeling,” he said. “I think more alumni would endow scholarships, too, if only they could see how it pays out, how it helps. We saw so much of that at this event.”

“I’ve always tried to give back where I can and encourage others to do the same, whether it’s time, energy or money.”

Michael J. Kaplan ’85

Davidson agreed.

“Today, we heard firsthand the immense power of giving to over 400 endowed funds and scholarships,” he told donors. “Your generosity, along with our students’ hard work and perseverance, help them overcome challenges, experience new things and remain on course to succeed here at Ithaca College.”

President Cornish also thanked the donors. “You occupy a special place in the heart of IC, and your philanthropy helps sustain the wonderful experiences that our students have on our campus, and it will preserve the quality of that IC experience for so many more students in the years ahead.”