Estate commitments from Corinne Maydonovitch, ’72, and Daniel Maydonovitch, ’77, designate $3 million for chemistry-related priorities and $500,000 for men’s basketball

Anne and John Maydonovitch never had the opportunity to attend college. But they made education a priority for their children, a gift their daughter Corinne and son Daniel have spent decades passing on.

Now, the St. Bonaventure University graduates are carrying that legacy forward through estate commitments totaling $3.5 million, extending their family’s investment in education to future generations of Bonnies.

Corinne Maydonovitch, ’72, and Daniel “Dan” Maydonovitch, ’77, have each committed $1.5 million through their estate plans for important chemistry-related initiatives. Their matching commitments build on decades of support for the university, where both studied chemistry before pursuing careers devoted to improving the lives of others.

Together, their plans designate $1 million each for the Anne and John Maydonovitch Endowed Scholarship, the Corinne and Daniel Maydonovitch Chemistry Research Fellowship, and the Department of Chemistry. Each sibling has committed $500,000 to each of those three priorities. Dan has committed an additional $500,000 gift for men’s basketball. 

For Corinne and Dan, the commitments reflect an enduring gratitude for the opportunities that began at Bonaventure and a desire to make similar opportunities possible for others.

“Bonaventure helped both of us turn an interest in science into a meaningful career,” said Corinne.

“We want other students to have the chance to find their own path. Through our estate plans, we can help the scholarship, the fellowship and the programs we care about continue serving students long into the future.”

“Corinne and Dan are honoring their family in a beautiful way: by helping other families realize their hopes for their children,” said Dr. Jeff Gingerich, university president. “Their generosity has already given our students opportunities to learn, discover and grow. These significant estate commitments extend that care to generations of Bonnies they may never meet, but whose futures they will help shape.”

A shared commitment to discovery

The siblings’ philanthropy has helped strengthen the places, resources and experiences at the heart of a Bonaventure science education.

They supported construction of the Walsh Science Center and renovations to De La Roche Hall. In 2016, they established the Anne and John Maydonovitch Endowed Scholarship in memory of their parents. They later were among the lead donors who helped the university acquire approximately $1 million in instrumentation for the Chemistry Department Research Lab in De La Roche Hall.

In November 2021, they established the Maydonovitch Research Fellowship to support one student each year in a 10-week summer research experience with a chemistry faculty member.

The fellowship creates time for students to immerse themselves in research, asking questions, testing ideas, working through setbacks and developing hands-on skills. It also enables faculty members to expand their scholarship and pursue peer-reviewed publications with students.

“Research gives students a chance to work on a question that doesn’t already have an answer in the back of a textbook,” Dan said. “They learn to think independently and work through problems. We want them to have the time, equipment and faculty guidance to do that work and discover what they are capable of.”

The siblings’ estate commitments will build on those investments, supporting the scholarship and fellowship that bear their family’s name while providing additional resources for the Department of Chemistry. Dan’s commitment to men’s basketball extends their legacy beyond the laboratory to another part of the Bonaventure experience.

The family behind the gifts

Corinne and Dan grew up in South Plainfield, New Jersey, as the middle two of four children in a household where learning was part of everyday life.

Their father, a first-class machinist, shared the challenges he encountered at work. Their mother enjoyed tutoring her children and helping with schoolwork. Both parents had come of age during the Great Depression, when helping support their families took precedence over pursuing higher education.

“Having our parents’ names on the scholarship is very personal to us,” Corinne said. “They made education a priority in our family, even though college had not been possible for them. Helping another student pursue an education is a way to carry their example forward.”

The siblings’ connection to St. Bonaventure also runs through their uncle, Fr. Basil F. Lobby, O.F.M., who taught chemistry at the university for 11 years before becoming its purchasing agent in the early 1960s. His connection to the University and its Chemistry Department has remained an important part of the family’s Bonaventure story, and the siblings hope their continued support for the sciences will honor his legacy in a meaningful way.

At Bonaventure, Corinne and Dan found a foundation for careers that would put their scientific knowledge in service to others.

Corinne, one of only a few women studying chemistry in her classes, went on to a 40-year career as a clinical researcher at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. She is also a recipient of St. Bonaventure’s Gaudete Medal.

Dan worked as a chemist at Exxon after graduating in 1977, then earned a doctorate from the New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. He spent the next three decades practicing family medicine, finding particular fulfillment in caring for families across generations.

Their careers followed different paths, but their philanthropy expresses a shared conviction: The education that helped them build meaningful lives is worth passing on.

Anne and John Maydonovitch wanted their children to have opportunities they had never known. Through their $4 million in estate commitments, Corinne and Dan are carrying that hope forward for a much larger Bonaventure family.

To learn how you can create a lasting legacy at St. Bonaventure through your estate plans, visit https://sbu.giftplans.org/ or contact Janet Glogouski, Major Gifts Officer, at jglogous@sbu.edu or 716-375-4084.

______________

About the university: The nation’s first Franciscan university, St. Bonaventure is a community committed to transforming the lives of its students inside and outside the classroom, inspiring in them a commitment to academic excellence and lifelong civic engagement. In its 2027 rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked St. Bonaventure No. 19 overall, No. 10 for Best Undergraduate Teaching and No. 25 for value among regional universities in the North. Niche ranked St. Bonaventure No. 15 among the Best Catholic Colleges in America and No. 2 among Catholic colleges in New York for 2027. Generative AI may have assisted in the preparation of this story.  

A member of St. Bonaventure University’s Marketing and Communications team reviewed, edited, verified and approved the final content.