Curry Honors Parents with Gift
College of Business alumnus J. Patrick “Pat” Curry, BSBA’78, was pleased that he had found a way to honor his parents and help Creighton University at the same time. He didn’t know that his gift of an endowed scholarship in his parents’ names would bring joy to what would be his mother’s final days of life.
“I had a strong desire to provide something meaningful to Creighton, the College of Business and the Department of Accounting,” Curry said. “My Creighton education has played an invaluable role in my career in public accounting.”
Curry, audit partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP and professional practice director for the firm’s New York Audit Practice, presented his parents with the Donald and Dolores Curry Endowed Scholarship at a family brunch held just over a year ago. The event celebrated his mother’s 74th birthday, and his parents were thrilled with the gift.
Not long after the family celebration, Dolores’ health declined, and she passed away about a month later. “Three days before her death, she read me the letter that they received from Fr. Schlegel about the scholarship when I spoke with her by telephone. She was very excited and humbled by receiving that letter,” Curry said.
The Curry family has strong ties to Creighton University, starting with Donald Curry, BSC’51, who still lives in the family’s hometown of Massena, Iowa. Besides Pat, other family members who attended the University include his brother Tony, BSBA’81, MPA’83, and his sister Mary K. Curry Morrow, BA’88.
“Creighton has always been our first love, as far as charities,” Donald Curry said, Pat Curry, center, with his parents Donald and Dolores Curry. adding that he and his wife were very pleased with the scholarship because they had always valued the importance of a good education.
The scholarship has been designated for a student majoring in accounting who also has a financial need. “Since Creighton is attracting students who fit this designation, students who often are the first generation of their families to attend college, this made sense to me,” Pat Curry said.
Curry’s gift of $50,000 to endow the scholarship was in addition to a $20,000 gift to a fund for faculty development in the accounting department.
“The fact that Pat wanted to do this to help future Creighton University accounting students speaks volumes about his generosity,” said Director of Philanthropy Rich McCormick. “It also speaks to the education he received at Creighton and the impact the University had upon him, his life and his career.”
Scholarship endowment is one of the priorities of the Willing to Lead Campaign. For more information about the campaign, call the Office of Development at 402.280.2740, or visit http://www.creighton.edu/development..