Alumni giving is as strong as ever at Georgian Court following a $50,000 gift by university donor and Trustee Patricia Smith Heanue ’68. The major gift will help with improvements to the university’s iconic Apollo Fountain, which was installed in 1902.
“Our alumni donors make an extraordinary difference in the lives of students and the in the legacy of our campus,” said GCU President Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D.
“We are extremely grateful for Patricia Heanue’s generosity and ongoing contributions to Georgian Court.”
Alumni Giving Supports Students and More
Ms. Heanue’s gift was made during Giving Tuesday 2018, the national day of fundraising that occurs just after Thanksgiving each year. Her recent $50,000 donation and contributions by others raised a total of more than $93,000 for Georgian Court, more than doubling the university’s one-day giving record set in 2017.
The contributions help with everything from student scholarships and emergency funds to athletics support and campus improvement projects.
“As a graduate of the Class of 1968 from Georgian Court, I spent many hours enjoying the beauty, tranquility, and uniqueness of our campus,” said Ms. Heanue. “Central to those memories are the Apollo Fountain, the Japanese Garden, the Mansion and the Casino (my freshman-year dormitory where Sister Maria Cordis was ‘house mom’).”
Donors Invest for the Future of Georgian Court
The Class of 1968 celebrated its 50th anniversary this year with a major donation. During Reunion Homecoming weekend, the group presented President Marbach with a check for $103,436 for a scholarship fund honoring the late S. Mary Arthur Beal, their beloved class advisor, and lifelong mentor.
Throughout the weekend celebration, the graduates’ enduring friendships and the sprawling beauty of the campus grounds, including the fountain, took center stage.
The imposing bronze figure of Apollo leading a chariot surrounded by winged seahorses, mermaids and cherubs is popular year-round. But the historic waterworks operate only on special occasions, like Commencement. For decades, GCU seniors have walked through the Italian Garden to reach the Apollo Fountain one last time before becoming alumni. After the ceremony, graduates return to the fountain for family photos.
“The stewardship of this campus for the next generation of GCU graduates is one of the things I care most about in my role as a trustee,” said Ms. Heanue. “My husband John and I hope this gift towards the restoration of the historic Apollo Fountain will help preserve it for future graduates as they walk their own senior path!”
