On behalf of Le Moyne College, we would like to thank all of our current donors for their generosity and support. Here are some of their stories.

John and Marie “Pidge” James ’66

For John and Marie “Pidge” James, Le Moyne College was simply the starting point for a life filled with twists and turns, highs and lows, challenges and rewards. But they’ve never lost sight of where it all began, and their affection for Le Moyne today is as strong as when they left the Heights nearly 40 years ago.

That enduring affection has prompted them to give back to Le Moyne – in a big way. Last October, they announced plans to give the College a gift of $5 million, the largest single gift in the 59-year history of the institution.

“This gift represents our deep commitment to Le Moyne College,” said John. “The College has been an enormous part of our lives, and we hope that this gift will help further the mission of the College, and give others the wonderful opportunities that we have enjoyed through our connection to Le Moyne.”

The couple’s wish is that Le Moyne place the gift in the College’s general endowment, specifically in the areas of student scholarship and service initiatives.

“Le Moyne College has a long and storied history of educating individuals beyond the classroom, through its commitment of service to others,” said Pidge. “This is the true hallmark of a Le Moyne education, and our gift will help realize this vital part of the College’s mission.”

R. David Carhart ’52

A Lifelong love for giving to others

Dave Carhart embodied the spirit of Le Moyne College and all that it means from the standpoint of service, dedication, commitment, and the true meaning of giving back. He passed away unexpectedly on January 26, 2004 at the age of 73.

In his will, Dave Carhart purchased a gift annuity with his wife, Marilyn as the annuitant. After spending his entire career in education including 24 years as principal in the Liverpool school district, his gift is to the staff endowment for mathematics.

With his passing, Le Moyne lost one of the most active and involved alumni in its history. His involvement included service: on the Le Moyne Alumni Association; as a member of the Distinguished Alumni Award Committee; as a member of the Le Moyne board of Regents; and, at the time of his death, as president of the Gold Wave.

Before passing Dave stated the following in an interview: “People need to look at what enabled them to have whatever success they may have had in life. If they don’t acknowledge that education played a part, then they’re blocking out something…When you reach my stage in life, I think you’ve got to look back and say, ‘Thank God.’ I feel blessed and realize that I’m on this planet for a fixed period of time. Anything I can do to enable Le Moyne to hopefully have a positive impact on the future is a good investment in the future.”

Angela Bernat ’67, ’95

True to Le Moyne, True to Syracuse

Born, raised and residing in Syracuse, NY, Angela Bernat is a leader in the community. Not only did she receive her degree in mathematics from Le Moyne, but she also graduated in the first MBA class at Le Moyne in 1995. Her career was spent as a Director of IT at Niagara Mohawk, A National Grid Company.

“My husband, Ed, and I made Le Moyne a part of our estate plans because we have deep feelings of loyalty and affection for the College. I attribute much of my career success to the outstanding education that I received at Le Moyne. Although Ed graduated from another university, he has also come to love the College for the role that it has played in our lives.”

“By endowing a scholarship in my name and at the same time making a bequest gift, we have the satisfaction of seeing students benefit from our generosity today while knowing that in the future many deserving students will benefit. Since we have no children, Ed and I are especially pleased that our name will live on in such a meaningful way.”

In her retirement, Angela serves on several non-profit boards, including Home Aides of CNY, Inc., The Eldercare Foundation, and the Fulton Historical Society.