Gerry Shaw and Paula M. Rooney, parents ’17, learned early on about the impact of philanthropy, as both paid their way through college to obtain their degrees. Their careers as leaders in higher education—Paula’s as president of Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts, and Gerry’s as dean of the same institution’s School of Business—further illuminated the importance of giving back so that students can access transformative opportunities.
The family supports numerous philanthropic causes each year, with Ithaca College as a top priority. Their son, Paul, is a 2017 graduate of the Roy H. Park School of Communications. The school’s rigorous coursework, designed to prepare and shape future communications leaders, welcomed Paul and provided the foundation he needed for his current career in Los Angeles.
Paul’s professors—particularly Dean Bryan Roberts—were crucial in collaborating to help Paul work through his learning differences and obtain his degree. That’s why Gerry and Paula chose to create a scholarship in honor of Dean Roberts’ commitment to helping Paul develop the skills to get to where he is today.