
Donna and John O'Connell created a scholarship through their estate for first-generation students from his hometown.
Scholarships Made Education Possible for Alumnus
John F. O'Connell '69 '72 MBA was deeply grateful for the scholarships that allowed him to attend UMass Amherst in the late 1960s, and he decided to return the favor years later.
John says that his experience at UMass Amherst prepared him well for a successful business career.
"I have done very well and I just wanted to leave behind opportunities, especially for first-generation, college-bound students from Norwood," John says.
John retired this year as president of a large Dallas-based firm that produced expositions, trade shows and conventions. John and Donna have also made a generous gift through their estate that creates the John F. O'Connell and Margaret P. O'Connell Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund, named after his parents.
He says that the $500 annual scholarship he received back when tuition was $1,200 made college possible for him. John and Donna now reside in Hawaii.
Leave a Lasting Legacy
Contact Theresa M. Curry, JD at 413-577-1418 or gift.planning@umass.edu to discuss giving strategies that best meet your family's needs.