Donor Stories

It also guarantees continued academic excellence.
Distinguished as a successful businessman, diplomat, and arts advocate, Earle I. Mack was also a senior partner of the Mack Company, a prominent real-estate development, investment, and management firm. After serving as chairman of the New York State Racing Commission and the New York State Council on the Arts, he was appointed United States Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Finland. From 1980 to 2004, he held a seat on the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law board, chairing the panel for 12 years.
Mack earned his bachelor’s degree from Drexel University. Ambassador Mack also holds an honorary degree in Doctor of Humane Letters from Yeshiva University. For his many accomplishments, he has been selected from among 65,000 candidates to be named one of the outstanding alumni among the Drexel 100.
Ambassador Mack, who earned letters on Drexel’s swim and baseball teams and worked as an editor and columnist at The Triangle, said a fondness for his alma mater came to full flower as he realized how his education affected his life. “I didn’t at first realize how much my alma mater had meant to me. Now I do,” he said. “My Drexel education reinforced for me that public service and philanthropy do make a difference. These were the lessons that gave shape to my career and meaning to my life. This was the moral compass from which I navigated through my life.”
He continues to be one of Drexel’s most generous and ardent supporters. Recently, Ambassador Mack made a significant contribution to the Drexel University Outdoor Art Fund, so that Drexel could purchase the distinctive sculpture “Le Coureur” (“The Runner”), by Richier, to be displayed in front of the Earle Mack School of Law. In his own words, fine art has the power to “lift the spirit, enhance culture, and inspire all who pass.”

She and her husband met on a blind date and married in 1960. She helped him and her brother, Robert Wetzel, operate the two Wetzel & Son Funeral Homes in Philadelphia until 1985, when she became an advisor in the academic-achievement program at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, now Philadelphia University.
Toni joined Drexel’s administrative staff in 1987. She worked with Drexel libraries when she first came to the University. In 1991, McMenamin became an advisor to students in Drexel’s new Honors Program. In 2003, Drexel established the Pennoni Honors College, and she was named Assistant Dean two years later. She also advised Drexel’s Cambodian and Vietnamese Unions and Young Republicans.
Mark Greenberg, Provost of Drexel University, explains Toni’s work ethic and how she strove to always put students first. “She would spend a lot of time talking with students about life choices, about a philosophy of living, about how to handle their work, if they were upset about a personal issue.”
David Raizman, a Professor in the Department of Art and Art History, echoed Greenberg’s sentiments. “Students First was Toni’s golden rule, and that was long before Drexel had an initiative here that was called ‘Students First.’ I mean, they could have named it for her — that’s how much of a motto it was for everything she did.”
Toni passed away in May of this year after a long battle with cancer. She will be remembered as one of the most dedicated and influential administrators and mentors in Drexel’s history. In order to preserve her memory, her family has established the Toni McMenamin Award for Putting Students First. This award will be directed annually to an individual employee of the Pennoni Honors College who best exemplifies the principles Toni embodied during her illustrious career.

He has also given generously of his time, serving now as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and previously as Vice Chair for Drexel University’s and the College of Medicine’s Boards of Trustees. A member of the Franklin Institute’s Board and that of the Free Library of Philadelphia, Greenawalt also belongs to the esteemed Drexel 100 and was responsible for bringing the Greenawalt Student Development Activity Center to life. In addition, he is a recipient of the Anthony J. Drexel Paul Award, Drexel’s highest alumni honor.
With typical modesty, Greenawalt downplays his generosity and involvement, and defers to his educational experience as an explanation for his many achievements. He states that Drexel’s co-op program was the key to his success. While Greenawalt was trying to decide if he wanted to pursue a Ph.D., he spent a coop as a research assistant. “I had a good time; there was a lot of camaraderie. But the experience also gave me an indication that it wasn’t how I wanted to spend my whole life. It helped me decide I really wanted to go into business.”
After this experience, Greenawalt earned an MBA in 1968 from Carnegie Mellon University and, soon afterwards, began working for Texas Instruments. And then he got a call about a new opportunity at Citibank, which was seeking people with both technical and business backgrounds. Greenawalt was somewhat apprehensive about moving to Manhattan, but he quickly realized getting in at the early stage of a major push from Citibank’s consumer business was an opportunity he could not pass up.
Greenawalt spent 16 years with the banking giant, including a position as President of Citicorp Retail Services. He then moved to Los Angeles as president of Transamerica Financial Corporation before returning to Philadelphia as President and C.O.O. of the multi-billion-dollar Advanta Corp. After 33 years in the corporate world, in 2000, Greenawalt formed the private investment partnership RMK Associates.
Today, Greenawalt’s personal dedication continues to make a difference at Drexel University; his boundless generosity will also have an impact for generations to follow.

Dr. Marion Kramer: Funds for the Future of Obstetrics
“Education enabled me to do what I enjoy more than anything else,” says Dr. Marion Kramer ’67. “I would like other people to be able to pursue their dreams.” Show details

To give back and empower others, Dr. Kramer recently notified the Drexel University College of Medicine of a very generous estate provision of more than $2,000,000 to support an endowed position in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Drexel University College of Medicine. This gift is especially meaningful as a show of support from one of Drexel’s most distinguished graduates. In addition to conveying prestige to the department and the college, this gift sets a high bar of excellence for others to follow. Dr. Kramer studied at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania (now the Drexel University College of Medicine).
Dr. Kramer’s reflection on her experience and its impact on her life and career compelled her to ensure that others have the same (and better) opportunities she had as a student. “I never had any real problems with women in science, though that’s probably partly because I was somewhat naïve. But I know that women in science face a few more obstacles, and I wanted to do something to help women accomplish what they want to do.”
In 1985, Dr. Kramer set up the Kramer Family Fund, an endowment for student tuition. The fund supports female medical students demonstrating academic merit and financial need to be applied toward unexpected expenses in continuation of their medical education.
Dr. Kramer is a board certified obstetrician and gynecologist. She incorporated in the late 1980s and became a partner in a private obstetrics, gynecology, and fertility practice with Dr. Renee Van de Carr at the Calaroga Surgical Center in Hayward, California. Dr. Kramer completed her residencies through Stanford at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center and The Medical Center at Mount Zion.
About her many successes in medicine, she remains modest, attributing her achievements to her parents’ attitude. “They brought me up so I never knew there were boy jobs and girl jobs,” Kramer explains. “It wasn’t their idea that I go to medical school, but they never discouraged it. They never once said, ‘Oh, don’t you mean you want to be a nurse?’”
Dr. Marion Kramer recently made a generous commitment to support the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Drexel University College of Medicine.

Vince Vidas’ Gift to Drexel’s Athletic Department
In the spring quarter, Vince Vidas (B.S.E.E. '59 M.S.E.E. '64) took his place among the undergraduate students in a class at LeBow. He wasn’t there to earn a grade or receive credit; he attended simply because he wanted to know more about financial management. He learned to play piano in the same way. Show details

After he retired from SEMCOR, Inc., where he was the President and CEO for 32 years, he approached the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia to see if they would give him piano lessons. They said yes. Those lessons continued, and Vidas now practices piano every day.
As an engineering student while at Drexel, Vidas also had an interest in athletics. He played freshman basketball, spent a season on the lacrosse team, and played football in the fall (and was twice named Little All-American). He also had several co-op experiences — moving pianos, for one, but also valuable jobs in engineering that helped prepare him for his leadership role at SEMCOR. And, it was during his first year at Drexel that Mr. Vidas met his future wife, Judy (B.S. ’56).
Many years later, Vidas decided he wanted to ensure that current Drexel students had access to the same opportunities he did, as well as additional opportunities for learning outside of the classroom. “I was somewhat successful in the business world and felt there were things I could do for Drexel that would help the students.” Vidas and Athletic Director Eric Zillmer worked together to come up with a plan that would put his philanthropy to good use. Today, Mr. Vidas’ gifts to the Athletics Department have significantly impacted all aspects of the program—from the athletic field to the basketball and lacrosse teams, to the athletic club. The Vidas Athletic Complex is named in honor of his extraordinary generosity. His most recent commitment of $1 million is one of the largest single gifts ever received by the Athletics Department.
When asked about the differences between the Drexel of 50 years ago and the Drexel he sees today, Vidas does not hesitate. “The transformation is astounding. In the 13 years that President Papadakis has been at Drexel, we’ve seen a revolution of change.”
When asked what advice he has for today’s Drexel students, Vidas answers quickly. “I hope students realize this is just the beginning of their education,” he says. “And I also hope they find an education outside of the classroom. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in sports, but I think they must have something more to participate in so they can have the total experience while at Drexel — social as well as educational.” He pauses. “And I believe sincerely that if I have anything that I can give to make sure that happens, well, then, that’s what I want to do.”