“The fact that Xavier offers a great educational product to so many students who might not otherwise afford to go there was a deciding factor for us in establishing the scholarship.”
“The purpose of our organization is to help the needy of Irish descent in the City of New York,” noted treasurer Thomas Sullivan, Esq. ’62. “The fact that Xavier offers a great educational product to so many students who might not otherwise afford to go there was a deciding factor for us in establishing the scholarship.” In selecting schools to receive scholarship funding, the organization considers the mission and academic record of each institution. Mr. Sullivan was pleased to personally attest to the standard of excellence that has guided Xavier for many years. “Xavier makes sure these young men are very sincere and focused on what they are doing. It’s an important endeavor,” he explained. “I’m proud to say I’m a graduate of a school that still operates as efficiently as Xavier does.” Mr. Sullivan has met McCabe several times and describes him as “an impressive young guy who will definitely go far in this world.” Since 2007, the Columbus Citizens Foundation has also awarded scholarships to Xavier students. The foundation presents approximately $2.2 million in competitive, need-based scholarships to more than 500 Italian-American students, according to foundation president Angelo Vivolo. This year, eight of those scholarships went to Xavier students. Like Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Vivolo has had the opportunity to meet with some of the scholarship recipients, including those from Xavier, at the organization’s annual scholarship awards ceremony. “It’s a heartwarming experience,” he said. “The students are so grateful, and the parents are crying. It’s very moving.”
DR. TOM O’BRIEN ’49 ENDOWS SCHOLARSHIP When Xavier alumni speak of sharing a journey, few mean it as literally as Dr. Tom O’Brien ’49 when he recalls the time he shared with his dear friend Paul J. Curran, Esq. ’49. The two accomplished men first met while commuting to school together in 1945. During those commutes, they forged a friendship that endured for nearly 70 years. In honor of Mr. Curran, who died in 2014, Dr. O’Brien made a generous commitment of $250,000 to establish the Thomas F. O’Brien, Jr., M.D. ’49 Scholarship in Memory of His Friend and Classmate Paul J. Curran, Esq. ’49. Timothy Burkhart ’18 is the initial recipient of the scholarship; during his time at Xavier, Burkhart’s financial aid package will be funded by Dr. O’Brien’s gift. Once established, an endowed scholarship provides annual financial aid to students and is managed as part of Xavier’s overall endowment. These scholarships help the Xavier endowment grow, which in turn provides the resources to maintain Xavier’s commitment to educating intelligent, motivated young men of diverse backgrounds and means. Mr. Curran served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Regiment. He was described in the May 23, 1949, issue of The Review as “Xavier’s foremost exponent among the public—the student whose enthusiasm for this school is undying.” The Georgetown and Fordham Law graduate served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and was elected to three terms in the New York State Assembly. President Nixon appointed him U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York in 1973. While Dr. O’Brien was primarily moved by his long friendship with Mr. Curran, he was also inspired to endow the scholarship by his friend Gaspar “Chip” Cipolla ’49, who dreamed of attending Xavier as a 14-year-old in 1945. The driven young man sought work door-to-door at downtown shops in order to cover the cost of tuition, and one of his jobs was working as a delivery boy for a grocery store on 16th Street. One day, while making a delivery to a neighborhood woman, he told her he was working so he could afford to go to Xavier. She spoke to her husband about paying for Chip’s tuition, and he agreed. They sponsored Chip’s education in honor of their own son, James H. Appleton ’43, another Son of Xavier, who had just given his life at the Battle of the Bulge. “That’s why I thought of the scholarship,” said Dr. O’Brien. “I wanted to help the next Chip Cipolla.” Scholarship recipient Timothy Burkhart ’18
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