Leadership Gift ... The Kaplan Family Foundations

During the past 25 years, Newburgh businessman and philanthropist Bill Kaplan, his late wife, Elaine, and their daughters Joan, Sheila, Debbie and Amy, have played a significant role in the development of Mount Saint Mary College. Through the Kaplan Family Charitable Foundations, they have supported the college's capital projects through three previous capital campaigns and have also funded scholarships and faculty research.  Their generous financial support has helped to achieve a vision for the college as a valuable resource for the City of Newburgh, Orange County and the Hudson Valley Region.

Bill Kaplan served as a trustee of the college from 1986 to 1988, resigning before the end of his first term due to his wife's illness. His daughter, Joan P. Kaplan, joined the college's Board of Trustees in 2003.  Joan is a 1992 graduate of Mount Saint Mary College. Her sons, Jonathan and Eric, graduated from the college in 1999 and 2003, respectively.

The college honored the Kaplan Family's leadership support of The Campaign for the 90's by naming the physical recreation center The Elaine & William Kaplan Recreation Center.  Their leadership support of The 21st Century Campaign was recognized by naming the athletic field developed on part of the former Newburgh Jewish Community Center property as Kaplan Field.

Through their leadership commitment of $5 million to the Answering the Call Campaign, the Kaplan Family Charitable Foundations made it possible for the Mount to respond to pressing issues in the region and nation through the construction of the Mathematics, Science & Technology Center addition to Aquinas Hall and the expansion and renovation of the nursing laboratories.