"Twice" the Gift

Diane '77 and Jerry McCue

Diane '77 and Jerry McCue grew up in small, Upstate towns. They were among the first in their families to attend college. When it was time to consider college, SUNY schools offered a good opportunity at reasonable cost. Both completed their undergraduate programs - Diane at SUNY Brockport and Jerry at SUNY Potsdam - entered the job market, and have enjoyed wonderful success in their chosen career fields. Today, they are quick to credit their SUNY alma maters with providing the foundation for their success.

And so, a few years back, as Diane and Jerry evaluated the priorities in their life and thought about what to do next, they thought about their undergraduate institutions and what their public higher education experience has meant to them. Both recognized that their time at SUNY institutions prepared them to realize their dreams, and they wanted to provide a current student with a similar opportunity. Diane and Jerry established the McCue Scholarship at SUNY Brockport in 1999 and have provided full-tuition scholarships to twin sisters enrolled at Brockport since fall 2000.

Today, Diane Frost McCue is one of the highest-ranking women at Eastman Kodak Company. She is Kodak's sales general manager for both North America Professional Imaging and Latin America Consumer & Professional Imaging, and vice president for Consumer & Professional. She completed her bachelor's degree in business administration and computer science magna cum laude and joined Kodak in1979 as a systems analyst. She later completed an MBA in finance and has served Kodak in several leadership assignments in manufacturing, supply chain, strategic business planning and general management.

Gerald R. "Jerry" McCue is vice president and senior financial advisor with Merrill Lynch. He is eager to explain why he and Diane chose to establish the McCue scholarships at SUNY Brockport as well as SUNY Potsdam.

"You reach a point in life where you are more successful and have advanced further in your profession than you ever dreamed possible. You begin to ask, 'What is most important to me? What is life all about? What legacy do I want to leave?' At that point, we thought of the tremendous impact our SUNY education had upon our lives. And, because we feel passionately about the opportunity afforded by a SUNY education, we decided to make that same, quality education available to students today."

For Diane and Jerry, it's not a matter of just writing the check. They get to know the recipients of their scholarships, meeting with them periodically throughout the year to keep tabs on their progress and help them figure out their future direction. The scholars know Diane and Jerry as real people and feel comfortable in talking through ideas or problems with their benefactors.

"Diane and Jerry are great people, and we appreciate everything they have done for us. Their generosity has allowed us to excel at SUNY Brockport, and they have been great mentors - not just benefactors," commented Racheal Mastin, a current McCue Scholar. Originally from Dansville, NY, Racheal and her sister Bethany chose to attend SUNY Brockport because it offered the most comprehensive scholarship package to them. With both going to college at the same time, the McCue Scholarship definitely made a difference in their ability to enroll at Brockport.

Racheal and Bethany Mastin

Diane and Jerry McCue have gone a step further in their support. Each serves on the board of directors for the campus foundation at their respective Alma Maters. They work with other loyal alumni and generous friends to build the fund-raising programs at SUNY Brockport and SUNY Potsdam.

"I am involved with SUNY Brockport because I believe it is essential to our community's future that we ensure the availability of affordable higher education for the entire community. I believe that SUNY Brockport is the only four-year institution in our region that is truly accessible - both logistically and financially," said Diane.

"I encourage all SUNY Brockport graduates to give back to the College because it is important for all of us to leave a legacy. It can be done in many different ways. I hope that each graduate will feel compelled to do whatever he or she can."