In 2016, Jim Frey and Mary White Frey stepped forward and grabbed hold of the torch held by the Benedictine Sisters for 100 years. They committed a $1.5 million gift to the College of Saint Benedict aimed at creating scholarships at CSB for students from under-represented communities. Mary is a 1980 graduate of the College of Saint Benedict and her husband, Jim, is a 1978 graduate of Saint John’s University. This is why they grabbed hold.
“It is our privilege to have the opportunity to establish the Mary White Frey ’80 and Jim Frey ’78 First Generation Scholars Fund,” said Mary. “Our goal is that the scholarship funds will help to ensure the education Saint Ben’s provides is accessible to all young women regardless of their financial capacity or academic family history. We also want to challenge others to participate in the fund.”
“The true value of a liberal arts education is hard to quantify, but it’s easier when you see it in real life,” said Jim. “The graduates of Saint Ben’s are, in my estimation, demonstrably different than those from other institutions. At other schools, you simply get a degree. At Saint Ben’s, well-rounded women and responsible leaders are being developed every year as a result of the focus on the liberal arts in addition to pre-professional training.”