DiGiorgio unveils scholarship endowment at opening ceremony for DIGS, will be paid out starting in 2017

By Claire Byun

byunc@thejohnsonian.com

 President Anthony and wife Gale DiGiorgio, daughter Darrah DiGiorgio Johnson and granddaughter Gabriella all helped unveil the plaque for the gifted scholarship. Photos courtesy of Judy Longshaw.Students looking for scholarships will have an opportunity to benefit from the Mary Grace and Antonino DiGiorgio Endowed Scholarship, which was announced Friday during a dedication luncheon for the DiGiorgio Campus Center. 

The unrestricted scholarship, a $200,000 estate gift, is in honor of the president’s late parents, who had encouraged their son to “pursue education as a path to success in their adopted American homeland,” according to a press release.

“The estimated scholarship worth, to be paid from interest, will be $4,000-$5,000,” said Rebecca Masters, assistant to the president for public affairs. 

Also, other donors may decide to designate additional contributions to a certain scholarship, thus increasing the value, Masters said.

The gift supports the already-established Margaret and Ernest Nesius Endowed Scholarship, which honors Gale DiGiorgio’s late parents. 

“This is our way of expressing our love for them in ways we know each would appreciate,” DiGiorgio said.

Gale DiGorgio goes in for a hug from her husband after announcing the planned estate gift. Photos courtesy of Judy Longshaw.The campus center’s theater, Dina’s Place, is named after the late Dina DiGiorgio, eldest daughter of President DiGiorgio. 

Both DiGiorgios said Dina has a passion for musical theater, movies and pop culture, with one of her favorite movies being “Grease.” 

Just fewer than 300 guests were in attendance at the Friday luncheon, including city, county and state officials as well as presidents and representatives from other colleges. Trustees, student leaders, representatives of ARAMARK and the bookstore were also at the ceremony, Masters said.

The Johnsonian requested a guest list from the event.

“Winthrop and Winthrop Foundation do not share guest lists because they could be utilized by other organizations seeking donor support,” Masters said.

If they wanted, luncheon guests could take a tour of the new center, led by Winthrop Ambassadors, if they arrived early . 

“Some folks chose to simply take self-guided tours, and some trustees took other folks they knew on tours personally,” Masters said.

Photo by Kathleen Brown - brownk@thejohnsonian.comThe Winthrop Foundation provided most of the funding for the event, with some support from University Events financing, Masters said. Money from the 125th anniversary event funding was contributed “since this building is a milestone event in Winthrop’s 125 year,” Masters said.

The Johnsonian requested the total cost of the event but Masters said Winthrop does not give out monetary amounts spent on donor related affairs.

“Winthrop and Winthrop Foundation have never divulged amounts spent on specific donors or other events to avoid comparisons between donors and honorees,” Masters said.

Additional reporting by Anna Douglas