College raises nearly $600,000 as president addresses the state of higher education

Riverdale, N.Y. – Mount Saint Vincent hosted its Scholarship Tribute Dinner at Cipriani Wall Street on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, raising nearly $600,000 towards the College’s scholarship fund. Annually, the fundraising gala seeks to further expand the Mount’s educational resources, providing the best academic opportunities available for talented and deserving students, regardless of financial means.

The College continually recognizes individuals at the Scholarship Tribute Dinner who boast lives of achievement with profound dedication to their principles, as illustrated by the values of the College’s mission and the charism of the Sisters of Charity. This year, the College honored two internationally recognized industry leaders: M. Shafik Gabr, Chairman and Managing Director of the ARTOC Group for Investment and Development and Chairman of the Shafik Gabr Foundation, and Pamela J. Newman, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Newman Team at Aon plc.

With a program that included Mount Saint Vincent Trustees Sr. Margaret O’Brien and Stephen A. Manzi, as well as remarks from Charles L. Flynn, Jr., the College recognized and thanked Mr. Gabr and Dr. Newman, honoring each with the Saint Vincent de Paul award.

The Mount celebrated the evening among distinguished guests and friends, recognizing His Excellency Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Arab Republic of Egypt; His Excellency Amr Moussa, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Secretary General of the Arab League; His Excellency Ambassador Amr Aboulatta, Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations; and His Excellency and Ambassador Ahmed Farouk, Consul General of Egypt in New York. The College was also delighted to welcome His Excellency Vuk Jeremic and Congressman Nicholas Rahall to the event.

In his remarks, Dr. Flynn commented on the criticisms in higher education—particularly the critique that too many people are going to college.

“Critics do not say that their own children should dis-enroll—they suggest that other people’s children are not equal to the opportunity,” said Dr. Flynn. “The assumption, then, is obvious. Children of families with modest means should stay where they are.”

But, Dr. Flynn also shared a source of Mount Saint Vincent’s identity and pride: that only education can turn talent into opportunity.

Against this backdrop, he continued, highlighting how the College represents the best in higher education. “A recent federal study identified only five colleges and universities in the United States that have both a mission-centered record of socioeconomic inclusivity and a demonstrated record of extraordinary student success. The College of Mount Saint Vincent is one of those five—we are an institution not only committed to the American Dream, we are living it.”

The president also reflected on why the College chose this year’s honorees. “The College honors people whose lives and work are an expression of faith. The College honors people who seek understanding, people whose lives and work express the respect and hope that is the light of the world. Tonight, in Shafik Gabr and Pamela Newman, we celebrate two remarkable people who fit that bill—two people whose lives and work express the core commitments to the College.”

And that, they do. “On behalf of the College of Mount Saint Vincent, I thank them,” concluded Dr. Flynn. “I thank you all.”

To view the video recordings from the 2016 Scholarship Tribute Dinner, please visit the College’s Facebook page at: facebook.com/MountStVincent.

Click here to read Dr. Flynn’s remarks.

Click here to view photos from the Dinner.