Leaving a Legacy for MMC Students

When Ginger Lyons de Neufville enrolled at Marymount Manhattan in 1966, she was a starry-eyed commuter from Long Island, a curious seeker who was thrilled at the opportunity to be studying in New York City.

By the time she graduated four years later in 1970, she was a tried and true New Yorker – an art aficionado who frequented exhibits at the Met, observed Pop art firsthand, and participated in modern dance led by MMC’s resident artist Rudy Perez. She protested the Vietnam War alongside her classmates – and some of the nuns at the College. “It was an exhilarating period,” she says. “I loved being in the city.”

Ginger was fortunate to receive a variety of financial support to attend MMC: a combination of grants, student loans, and work study (which included running the campus switchboard!). Now Ginger is in a position to give back, and she is a proud member of the College’s Rowley Society, the distinguished group of graduates and friends of MMC who have established a planned gift to benefit the College.

As a Rowley Society member, Ginger has established a scholarship in memory of her sister Maureen “Rene” Lyons Olson, who also graduated from MMC and was tragically killed in the 9/11 attacks. Since the establishment of the scholarship, many MMC alumni, friends, and family have contributed to the scholarship as a way to remember the vibrant spirit of Rene.

Having benefited from many sources of funding for her own college education, Ginger knows how important scholarships are for today’s MMC students. “Providing financial support for students is vital through bequests and other gifts,” she says. “It’s a lifeblood for students.”

In addition to her financial support, Ginger has supported the College in other ways, most notably serving as a member of the Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2012. But she always comes back to the gift she established in her sister’s name and encourages other MMC grads to do the same.

“Making a planned gift is easy,” she says. “You just decide to do a set dollar amount or percentage, put that into your will and trust, and it’s there ready to be activated.”

Join the Rowley Society

Published: May 09, 2022