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Christopher Eagan鈥檚 faith in education leads to $30K gift to Miramontes program

To Christopher Eagan, growing up in Levittown, N.Y., America鈥檚 first and most famous suburb, was nirvana.

In Levittown, which was developed to provide homes for returning World War II veterans and their families, 鈥渆verybody was the same age, the parents were all the same age. Everybody was young, everything was new, and there were throngs of kids,鈥� says Eagan, 66.

But after 18 years there, Eagan was ready for a change, and he knew just where he wanted to go: the University of Colorado Boulder.

鈥淚 loved skiing as a kid, and we took two trips out West. I loved it,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y freshman year I logged more than 50 days skiing.鈥�

Somewhere in that time he did a little studying, too, graduating with a degree in geology in 1973. He later went on to earn a law degree from Fordham University, and most recently stepped down as partner in the global law firm Bryan Cave LLC, where he specialized in banking.

鈥淚 had no idea what I wanted to do when I was at CU, but that was common then. It was much more about getting a solid arts-and-sciences education,鈥� Eagan says. 鈥淭he assumption was I would be getting a job. I had no idea what it would be, or where, but there was never a fear that I wouldn鈥檛 get a job.鈥�

Eagan鈥檚 roots in Levittown and his lifelong belief in the importance of a well-rounded education recently inspired him to make a gift to CU Boulder鈥檚 Miramontes Arts and Sciences Program, which supports 鈥渕otivated, traditionally underrepresented or first generation students who want to be part of a diverse academic community in the College of Arts & Sciences.鈥�

MASP, as it鈥檚 known, provides community, space and awareness of academic opportunities through a summer program for incoming freshmen, and requires coursework of its participants.

鈥淲e have a pretty diverse set of scholars from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, many of them first-generation college students,鈥� says MASP director Celeste Montoya. 鈥淭his is a very competitive program and these are bright, high-achieving, talented students.鈥�

The Eagan Family Endowed Scholarship Fund will provide a $1,000 scholarship to a MASP student and $5,000 toward an endowment over five years.

Eagan wasn鈥檛 aware of MASP when he contacted the Office of Advancement about making a gift. But he strongly believes that institutions know best where support can have a maximum impact.

鈥淚 try to be realistic. I reach out and say, 鈥榊ou tell me what鈥檚 important.鈥欌��

When Eagan learned about MASP, he thought it was a perfect fit. So many of the kids he grew up with in Levittown would become their families鈥� first college graduates, and he believes in the value of mentorship.

鈥淢y father was a great believer in education and I鈥檓 a great believer. From a post-World War II perspective, education is what transformed this country, increased income throughout this country, and made us a leader in the world,鈥� he says.

鈥淢ASP really fits in with my conception of education as the great leveler鈥攊t both evens the playing field and expands opportunities. The concept of mentorship, that you鈥檝e got someone to go to, to help you find your way, is important. It opens a door, reaches out a hand and says, 鈥楥ome on in, it鈥檚 cold outside. Come on in.鈥欌��

As fondly as he looks back on the kids鈥� nirvana that was Levittown, Eagan credits CU Boulder for not only expanding his mind, but exposing him to a far greater diversity of people than he鈥檇 ever seen in his first 18 years. He鈥檚 pleased to support a program like MASP, which continues that tradition in even more depth.

鈥淲hat CU is able to do, partly because of the beauty of its location, is attract people from around the country and around the world, so when you go there you are exposed to so many different cultures,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really terrific story about the school that was important to me and remains important to students.鈥澨�

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