Nichols College Trustee Marty Power ’78 has created an endowed scholarship in honor of his mother and wife to support a student from his native town of Southbridge, Mass. The Claire and Shelly Power Endowed Scholarship has been established with a commitment of $200,000, one of the largest scholarship gifts in college history.
“So many worthy students at Nichols are in need of support, and this scholarship was the perfect way to honor two remarkable women in my life, pay tribute to my hometown, help a current student, and support Nichols during its Bicentennial Campaign,” says Power. The scholarship is intended for a female student who is a graduate of Southbridge High School; selection will be based on financial need and academic performance. Power hopes that this scholarship and others aimed at recognizing the achievements of women will help strengthen the efforts of the Institute for Women’s Leadership at Nichols.
The Power scholarship is one of several inspired by a challenge set forth by John Davis ’72, chair of the Nichols College Board of Trustees and co-chair of the Bicentennial Campaign. Davis will contribute $10,000 to any endowed scholarship created with a commitment of $25,000 between now and the close of the campaign in June 2017. This will ensure the scholarship can be awarded immediately rather than waiting until the fund has earned enough interest to distribute.
Campaign News: $1 million gift to enhance accounting
Nichols College has received a $1 million gift that will be used to enhance the College’s long-successful undergraduate programs in accounting and finance. The commitment was made by a generous donor—a Nichols graduate—who wishes to remain anonymous.
“On behalf of the Nichols College community—students, faculty, staff, alumni, and trustees—I cannot express how grateful and thankful we are to this generous donor, whose commitment of $1 million will allow us to attract additional motivated students and provide even more opportunities for our students to secure gainful employment following graduation,” said Nichols College President Susan West Engelkemeyer, Ph.D. “This transformative gift will help continue to open doors for many Nichols students, who will be tomorrow’s business leaders.”
The accounting and finance programs have been mainstays of the Nichols curriculum and have greatly contributed to the College’s reputation as the provider of a solid business and results-oriented education. Nichols accounting faculty consists entirely of certified public accountants who have extensive professional experience and are passionate about training students to excel in corporate, government, and nonprofit fields. Meanwhile, finance students develop an understanding of the role of finance in business organizations and learn the tools necessary for making sound decisions about money. Accounting and finance students earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.
A portion of the $1 million gift will be used for an endowed professorship. Additionally, a Finance and Accounting Enhancement Fund will be established. The fund will be used to directly support students and faculty with curricular and co-curricular resources to augment and enrich the programs.
“This historic gift will not only enhance our already successful accounting and finance programs, but it will also help empower our students as they seek opportunities through our specialized internship and job placement pipeline; offer scholarships, advanced technology and software, and off-campus ventures, such as internships and study abroad experiences; and investment funds for academic course or Investment Club experience,” said William Pieczynski, vice president for advancement at Nichols College.
Campaign News: A conversation with Kuppy
A group of student leaders at Nichols College gathered around Robert “Kuppy” Kuppenheimer ’69 on March 22 for an informal talk focused on his days at Nichols, his notable career, and his philanthropic endeavors.
Kuppy told students that he credits Nichols for giving him the educational foundation to succeed. “It was astounding how well prepared I was as a professional,” he said. He referenced an accounting class taught by the late Professor John Katori ’55 which enabled him to distinguish himself at Paine Webber, where he began working as a sophomore. Kuppy is retiring this month as vice president/managing director of distribution development for Nuveen Investments following a 40-year career there.
The gathering was hosted by Erin Sheehan ’17 and Chris Capuzzo ’16, student representatives on the Campaign Steering Committee, who devised the idea of bringing one of the college’s most successful and dedicated graduates to speak informally with students. “We all know of Kuppenheimer Hall on campus. This was our opportunity to meet ‘the man behind the building,’” said Sheehan.
Recalling his time at Nichols spent working the annual phonathon, Kuppy told students his success in business led him to give back to the college. He has supported many projects over years, including the renovation of New Dorm, which was dedicated as Kuppenheimer Hall in 1998. He has been a member of the Nichols College Board of Trustees since 1999 and has also hosted several alumni and admissions receptions in California, where he has lived for 20 years. Each year, he sponsors a professional development dinner for faculty.
The diverse group of 14 students in attendance, representing the Emerging Leaders Program, Student Alumni Society, student-athletes, all class years, and campus leaders, sought Kuppy’s advice on enhancing their Nichols experience, finance careers, and graduate school.
“As a freshman at Nichols, I enjoyed hearing from a major donor such as Robert ‘Kuppy’ Kuppenheimer,” said Brian O’Riordan. “It was an experience that opened my eyes to the possibilities I can make for myself once I graduate in 2019.”
Paola Solano ’17 concurs: “Meeting Kuppy has been one of the best opportunities I’ve had during my college career. I enjoyed listening to his advice and stories about his time at Nichols. I truly admire and appreciate his commitment to our institution.”