UC Day of Giving kicks off with celebration of scholarship gift

Joan, CON ’79, and Mark, CEAS ’79, Hurray smile and laugh when they recall their time as students at the University of Cincinnati. Fond memories include on and off-campus housing, friends from freshman year, and, of course, meeting one another at a winter party.  Other memories include social events such as Homecoming, the blizzards of the late 70s, and intramural sports.  Senior year Mark asked Joan to be an umpire for his intramural softball team, and this was the real start of a 41 plus-year-relationship.

“I thought he liked my roommate,” Joan admits.

“I always had my eye on Joan,” Mark laughs.

The Hurrays’ thriving careers have taken them to different cities throughout the years, but their hearts have remained in Clifton with the Bearcats. That continued connection is why they decided to fund scholarships in nursing and engineering at UC while also supporting innovation and technology in nursing through a gift in their estate.

“I’m excited that together, we’ve been able to work out a gift that resonates what is in their hearts: leveraging technology to optimize our students and patient experiences,” says Greer Glazer, PhD, dean of the College of Nursing.

Joan says they want to help students at the same university that allowed them to be successful.

“We want to help other students achieve their dreams,” says Joan.

 Joan’s dreams began as an intensive care unit nurse and grew into being chief information officer at Mercy Hospital in Chicago a member of Trinity Health in Michigan.

 Marks says the co-op program is what drew him to UC and led him to incredible opportunities as an engineer in the utility and aviation fields. As an airline employee working on an airport construction project, he and Joan had the unexpected benefit of free airline travel and were able to explore many countries.

No matter where their professional lives have taken them, they’ve maintained UC relationships. While living in Chicago, the couple relished being a part of the Chicago UC Alumni Chapter headed by Dave Watkins, meeting up for game watches and other events. Friendships from their early days as Bearcats remain strong: Mark texts his college friends during UC games and has been part of an investment group, The Clifton Club, for 41 years.  All of the members knew each other in Calhoun Hall.

Being able to help students feels like a natural part of their UC story.

“We’ve always been loyal Bearcats,” Mark says. “We moved away but we always return to UC and stay connected.”

Featured image at top: Mark Hurray, UC President Neville Pinto, Joan Hurray and College of Nursing Dean Greer Glazer. Photo/Provided.