“Giving Back in Gratitude for A Solid Foundation”

Paul DeFeo ’98

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Paul DeFeo ’98
Paul DeFeo ’98

Paul DeFeo ’98 had always hoped to give back to Holy Cross in gratitude for the education, relationships and career opportunities the College gave to him. With the College's focus on providing access and opportunity on The Hill through financial aid, Paul knew that he could make an impact and that the time was right to establish the DeFeo Family Scholarship.

Paul says, “I would have supported whatever the College needed, but the college’s focus on financial aid is especially compelling. It makes a huge difference in the possibilities available to an incoming student. I owe a lot of my success to Holy Cross, and I’m happy to contribute now that I’m able to.”

The ink on Paul’s diploma was barely dry when he first felt the effect of the Holy Cross community on his career. 

The CIO at the time of Shared Medical Systems, which is now part of Siemens, was a Holy Cross alum. He was willing to meet with me and then find a place for me to work within the company because of the Holy Cross connection.

Paul DeFeo ’98

That first job allowed Paul to test out the critical thinking skills he had honed as an Economics and Psychology double major at Holy Cross; but it also gave him real-world experience that opened the door to IT leadership – a burgeoning area of business innovation that was the perfect match for Paul’s entrepreneurial spirit. In a career spanning more than two decades, Paul has worked for small and large companies alike, always seeking out jobs that gave him room to push boundaries and move companies in new directions.

Some of the classes and professors who made the deepest impressions on Paul had nothing to do with business, and everything to do with curiosity and exploring new ways of thinking. As a senior, Paul recalls, “I did research with Dr. Chuck Locurto on learning and cognitive experiences. It’s obviously nothing like what I do now, but that academic experience was my priority.”

Dr. Locurto was just one of the many people Paul met at Holy Cross who made an impression. Paul treasures his friendships from the College and remains in touch with a close group of classmates. Paul reflects, “I met a lot of great people at Holy Cross. I agree with their values and their viewpoints on the world, and that makes me feel good about giving another student access to the same morals and principles, presented through a great education."

"The process of donating money is easy: The hard part is finding the right cause," Paul says. "I know this scholarship will make a positive impact on someone’s life, and I feel honored to provide a solid foundation to the start of a person’s adult life.”

Make a gift today in support of financial aid.