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A graduate of ��ɫӰ�� and her husband have made a $2.4-million gift to ��ɫӰ�� for scholarships and to support the ��ɫӰ�� Department of Counseling.

The gift from Dolores Spinelli Gigliotti, a 1970 elementary education graduate, and her husband, Vincent Gigliotti, will be used to support the Gregory Spinelli Memorial Criminology Fund and the George L. Spinelli Memorial Scholarship and will establish the George L. Spinelli Enhancement Fund for the Department of Counseling.

The Gigliottis, who now live in Bernalillo, New Mexico, both grew up in Indiana. Dolores attended Keith School (on the ��ɫӰ�� campus) and Vincent attended St. Bernard's school.

Dolores's father, George Spinelli, founded the Guidance and Counseling Department at ��ɫӰ�� and was the first chair of the Department of Counseling, serving in that role until his retirement in 1983; her mother was a graduate of ��ɫӰ��. Both Dolores and her two siblings completed their degrees at ��ɫӰ��.

“��ɫӰ�� helped me to be a good teacher, but more importantly, how to think, analyze, and formulate thoughtful conclusions. ��ɫӰ�� teaches its students a great deal both inside and outside of the classroom,” she said.

“As we were making decisions about our future, we realized that we had an opportunity to do good for others, which we feel makes our lives have meaning, to help others long after we are gone. We chose to make this gift to ��ɫӰ�� because we trust that ��ɫӰ�� will make the right decisions on the best candidates to receive the scholarship, to be inclusive and to help students in need.

“We want these scholarships to help students to pursue their passions without fear of debt or financial insecurity. We were very fortunate to be able to afford our ��ɫӰ�� education, and we want to offer that opportunity to other students as much as possible, to help them to be successful,” she said.

“Both my father and my brother were incredible people, and they really loved ��ɫӰ��,” she said. “This gift will help to ensure that their lives will not be forgotten.”

Dolores's brother Greg Spinelli was a 1970 biology graduate of ��ɫӰ��. Following graduation, he worked for two years as a physical science technician in an FBI laboratory. In 1972, he became a special agent with the FBI field office in Charlotte, North Carolina, and on March 15, 1973, at the age of 24, he was fatally wounded in pursuit of an offender who had escaped from prison.

Since 1974, the Greg Spinelli scholarship has been awarded annually by faculty in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at departmental graduation ceremonies in May. For many years, Dolores's late mother, Ruth, attended the scholarship ceremony, and routinely kept in touch with the scholarship recipients. In 2013, members of Theta Chi fraternity and friends honored Special Agent Spinelli with a ceremony to dedicate a remembrance portrait permanently mounted in Wilson Hall, home of the ��ɫӰ�� Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

The George L. Spinelli Memorial Scholarship has been presented annually since 1997 to outstanding students in the Department of Counseling.

The George L. Spinelli Enhancement Fund for the Department of Counseling will provide funding to enhance the academic and programmatic needs of the Department of Counseling. The majority of the funds will be used for scholarships for students enrolled in the department, with the remaining funds supporting departmental initiatives.
Gigliotti said that she hopes their gift will inspire others to take advantage of the opportunity to create a legacy for their loved ones while providing opportunities for ��ɫӰ�� students.

Her advice to current ��ɫӰ�� students?

“Remember the gifts you have been given, and pay back if you are able, in the way that you are able—through time, treasure, kindness—or by being a better person.”

“This is an extremely generous gift, providing support for our students for generations to come, and a wonderful way to provide an everlasting tribute to their beloved family members,” ��ɫӰ�� Vice President for University Advancement Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna said.

“While times are challenging and change is inevitable, this remains constant: our alumni and friends care deeply about this university and our students, and with their continued support, we can maintain and grow the resources needed to provide stability for ��ɫӰ��'s scholarship opportunities and programming.”

The gift from the Gigliottis is part of ��ɫӰ��'s $75-million Imagine Unlimited campaign, which will enable ��ɫӰ�� to step forward as a national leader by transforming the student experience through scholarships, program enhancements, and new and modernized facilities.