McGinnis gift creates new fellowships

Jerry McGinnis jokes that he may not have had the greatest grades as an undergraduate at UW-Madison, but his hard work paid off. While working his way through school, he won a scholarship from a local construction company. Forty years later, he's making sure other hard working students are similarly rewarded.

McGinnis, chairman of the board for Embassy Construction, has pledged $125,000 to the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering. The gift will be matched by the university, creating a $250,000 endowment for graduate student fellowships.

"I'm a firm believer in paying back the industry that helped you in your career goals," said McGinnis, a 1952 graduate of the business construction administration program. "I always said that I'd do this if I got to the point where it was possible. I have been rewarded and blessed with a successful career; the industry has been good to me and my family."

The McGinnis family plays a large role in their father's company, with his three children heading a division of the custom home building business. McGinnis's grandson is a sophomore in the department's Construction Engineering Management program.

"These students are learning about environmental and civil engineering technologies that will become increasingly important in the coming years," said McGinnis, who has also created a $15,000 scholarship fund for undergraduates. "Education is extremely important, and scholarships are a big help to students."