Benoliel Fellowship Keeps Educational Mission Thriving

Maureen Benoliel, ’71, knows that the next generation of justice-driven educators need institutional and financial support to succeed. She experienced firsthand that kind of support, the embodiment of cura personalis—care for the whole person—when she was a student at Seattle University’s College of Education.

“From the first time I stepped onto the campus, I felt supported and cared for,” she says. “I loved the students, my professors and my classes.”

Now, thanks to a $1 million gift from Benoliel, the College of Education will be able to fully support two Educational Doctorate students each year for the next nine years. 

The newly created Maureen Benoliel Education Fellowship Program (MBEFP)—the college’s first fully funded scholarship—will assist in interdisciplinary educational research that examines important issues in the field.

Benoliel believes that her gift will continue to support the college’s mission of inclusive excellence.

“The College of Education finds the best in their students and then empowers those students to go out and find the best in their own students. It’s a pillar of the community and I am happy to do my part to help the college and Seattle University continue to shine.”

Working in teams, program fellows will engage in research and study that inspire curiosity, strengthen educational communities and is driven by the Jesuit values of social justice and educating the whole person.

College of Education Dean Cynthia B. Dillard believes that the fellowship will be invaluable in furthering the college’s educational mission.

“I am overjoyed by Maureen’s unwavering commitment to Seattle University and very particularly to the College of Education,” she says. “This fellowship program will be innovative, deeply relevant to current and future challenges in education and it will focus our attention on the creativity, research and imagination that we need, both within and outside of schools.”

This isn’t the first time Benoliel has made an impact on the College of Education through her generosity. In 2016, she donated $100,000 to create the Maureen Benoliel Endowed Fund for Faculty and Student Research, which supports innovative programming, research and scholarly initiatives.

Benoliel, who has been an SU regent and trustee, currently serves on the College of Education Advisory Board and was honored with an  Alumni Award for University Service in 2013.

“I am who I am today because of Seattle University,” she says. “My experience as a student was special because this is a place that truly cares about its students.”

You can make a difference in students’ lives by supporting the College of Education. Contact Peggy Fine at finep@seattleu.edu/206-296-1896 to learn more.