A Sister's Love

Thomas F. Delaney '87, along with his sister, Judy, realized the importance of higher education at an early age. Although they did not have the opportunity themselves, Tom and Judy's parents made sure that both of their children attended college.

After getting his bachelor's in accounting from Iona College, Tom obtained his MBA in corporate finance from Pace in 1987. "Tom thoroughly enjoyed his time at Pace," Judy reminisces. "Since most of his professors actually came from the world of business, they were adept at blending their classroom instruction with real-world practice."

Sadly, Tom passed away in 2013 after a long illness. With fond memories of his education and how Pace aided in his success, Tom left a generous bequest to establish the Thomas F. Delaney Scholarship Fund at Pace.

Since her brother's passing, Judy has honored her brother's memory by contributing to the scholarship. "I continue to give to the Thomas F. Delaney Scholarship Fund because I believe Tom would have wanted me to," she says. "We were first-generation college students who paid for our education on our own—as a result, we had debt," she explains. "Our debt, however, was nothing like what students today are facing. Their student loans can stay with them for over 20 years after graduation! This has a real effect on their future prospects and on our economy as a whole—this was another compelling reason for me to contribute to help students."

Judy has remained closely involved with Pace, attending the President's Scholarship and Benefactor Dinner and speaking about the importance of planned giving at the Edward J. Mortola Heritage Society Luncheon last year. There, she met Christine Lanzilotta '20, the recipient of Tom's scholarship. Christine was honored to meet Judy and proud to honor Tom's memory as the student speaker at the luncheon.

"I am so grateful for Judy and Tom's support for my education," Christine says. "Having the opportunity to meet Judy was really quite special. Learning about their family and putting a face to the scholarship made it all the more meaningful."

Thanks to the generosity of donors like Tom and Judy, students like Christine have the chance to succeed. Contact Marc Potolsky at 212-346-1619 or mpotolsky@pace.edu to learn how you can follow in their footsteps and support Pace with a legacy gift.