Welcome
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Helen
Keller
The Elizabeth J. McCormack Scholarship Program is committed to empowering students to develop themselves as critical thinkers, compassionate citizens, and engaged participants in local and world affairs. We believe that students who in their high school years have demonstrated leadership, integrity, intelligence and a commitment to the larger community can achieve their full potential not only through their academic program, but also through challenging experiences and opportunities outside the classroom.
In addition to providing scholars’ need based tuition, room and board, the Scholarship provides funds to pursue their interests and aspirations, allowing each scholar to create a personalized series of dynamic learning experiences. These experiences may take many forms, including international travel, professional internships, independent research, and community service.
The Elizabeth J. McCormack Scholarship was established to honor Elizabeth J. McCormack, who graduated from Manhattanville in 1944 and served the college as academic dean from 1962 to 1966, and as president from 1966 to 1974. Now 89 years old, she is widely known beyond Manhattanville’s campus as a Renaissance woman and visionary leader with interests that bridge the worlds of education, philanthropy, medicine, the arts and foreign affairs. As president of Manhattanville, she transformed the college from an elite Catholic women’s institution to the nationally recognized, non-denominational, coeducational institution it is today.
Over the past two decades she has served many philanthropic organizations, as deputy Chair of the Board of The Atlantic Philanthropies, Vice Chair of the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, trustee of Hamilton, Cambridge, Spellman, and Marlboro Colleges and The Julliard School of Music, Philanthropic Advisor to the Rockefeller Family and Associates, and Assistant to the President of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. Since 1980 she has been a trustee of the Asian Cultural Council and its chairman since 1992. She earned her Ph.D. from Fordham University, and has received honorary doctoral degrees from Manhattanville College as well as Brandeis, Princeton, Hamilton and Marlboro Colleges, the American University of Paris and the City University of New York.
