Last fall, Donna Morris '81 and her husband, Bill Sweat, MBA '91, turned a passion for wine into a way of life when they bought a small vineyard in Oregon's lush Willamette Valley.
Donna and Bill, who both left successful careers at Fidelity Investments to fulfill that dream, haven't forgotten the people who helped them along the way.
The pair has established scholarships in their parents' names at their undergraduate alma maters—for Bill, at Bates College, and for Donna, at Boston College.
"We both received financial aid as students and recognized that we were able to attend college because alumni were giving back to these institutions," says Bill. "We feel a strong commitment to continue that."
At BC, the couple established the Joan and William Morris Scholarship Fund, which benefits students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The fund gives preference to those from Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass.—which Morris attended—or the greater Springfield area.
"Cathedral has a long tradition of sending students to BC, " says Donna. "But Springfield is going through tough times, and I want students there continue to have the chance to attend BC."
Supporting Boston College was a natural choice for Donna, who is a founding member of the Council for Women at Boston College, which works to increase the involvement of women in the life of the University.
"BC has been very important throughout my life," says Donna. "I value the education I got there, as well as the friendships I made that have remained strong for 25 years."
Contact the BC Fund: (888) 752-6438 or bcfund@bc.edu