The Dennis R. DePerro Memorial Scholarship
The Dennis R. DePerro Memorial Scholarship
Late Bona president’s legacy lives on through endowment
Dennis (center) with NYS Assemblyman Joe Giglio and NYS Senator George Borrello in the Reilly Center at St. Bonaventure University, July of 2019.
It’s indescribable, really, unless you experienced it firsthand. The ones who call it a cult begrudgingly accept its impact, while the aforementioned fortunate live a life full of unbreakable bonds. The allure of St. Bonaventure University lies far beyond the aesthetics of its campus, the energy of a packed Reilly Center or the diverse education offering.
To sum it up simply, it’s the people.
Few understood this impact more than Dr. Dennis DePerro. As the 21st president of St. Bonaventure, he coupled vast experience in college enrollment with a supercharged vision of keeping Bona competitive in the current landscape of higher education. His vision of “A Bolder Bonaventure” had begun to take hold.
Just as the men’s basketball team began to get hot on its way to both Atlantic 10 Conference regular season and tournament titles, heartbreaking news came down the line. On March 1, 2021 Dr. DePerro died from complications due to COVID-19. He was 62.
“A day after Dennis passed, his wife Sherry asked if we could set up a scholarship in his memory,” said Bob Van Wicklin, Bona’s vice president of advancement. “He would have wanted to help others in the wake of everything that’s gone on. Within a few days, we had reached $50,000 - we had put a donation link in his obituary, as the family asked for donations in lieu of flowers. People really responded to it.”
Before long, the fund reached $70,000. The presidents of the Atlantic 10 Conference, meeting via Zoom, spoke on the impact Dr. DePerro made and pledged an additional $50,000. As an endowment, the fund will give off 4% to 6% annually to students needing financial assistance.
Recently, Van Wicklin posted a photo of handwritten thank you notes he would send out to donors. Instagram asked if he’d like to turn it into a fundraiser, which he did. By the end of the day, he had hit his goal of $1,000.
“It’s exactly what Dennis would have wanted,” Van Wicklin said. “He spent his entire life working in enrollment and admissions and helping universities navigate financial trouble. When he became president, one of his major thrusts of energy was to boost enrollment. Which he did.”
Previous regimes figured the local markets - Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse - were too saturated, instead focusing on students further away. But as a South Buffalo native, Dr. DePerro thought they were wrong. Lo and behold, his first three years on the job saw three of the largest incoming freshmen classes Bonaventure had seen in the past 15 years - with the number of enrollments from those local markets doubling in the first year alone.
“He had experience at Le Moyne University (of Syracuse) as the vice president of enrollment management before becoming dean for the professions school, which included Health,” Van Wicklin said. “Our board of trustees had voted to move forward with a School of Health Professions, and Dennis was hired in part because of his experience with that.”
Dr. DePerro understood that a rising tide lifts all boats, and adding a curriculum of this caliber would benefit the university as a whole. The $18 million school will be housed in the first few floors of the newly-renovated Francis Hall.
When the pandemic hit and uncertainty reigned, Dr. DePerro pushed to do whatever he could to keep the Bonaventure experience as close as possible. Thanks to his leadership, 90% of classes remained in-person and the university didn’t suffer financially as badly as others did.
“He would drive his golf cart around campus and thank students for wearing their masks,” Van Wicklin said. “We got through the entire ordeal thanks to him.”
After his passing, stories began surfacing of the type of president he was. Thanks to Bonaventure’s small student and faculty size, the entire campus stays connected. Students at schools with larger campuses - and budgets - may never have the chance to meet the president of the university. Dr. DePerro made a point to not only know your name, but your parents’ names.
“This is the most fitting way to honor his legacy at Bona,” Van Wicklin said. “He had told me ‘once I retire, I hope they don’t throw my name up on something. I would rather have my legacy be one of action, not words,’ and that’s what makes his legacy what it is.”
The next president of St. Bonaventure has outstanding groundwork laid for the success of the university. For alumni, the work Dr. DePerro did to keep St. Bonaventure relevant and successful will be a debt that can never be paid back - but he was the type of leader that wouldn’t have asked for anything in return.
To donate to The Dr. Dennis R. DePerro Memorial Scholarship fund, head to www.sbu.edu/drdeperro.
An Ellicottville native and fiercely proud St. Bonaventure alumnus, Spencer Timkey writes on local retail and lifestyle. Go Bonnies!
