51³Ô¹Ï

At its recent Presidential Society Dinner, 51³Ô¹Ï recognized its major benefactors for their support and commitment.

As part of this evening of recognition, Virginia Collins Shields '48, Jacksonville, Fla., an alumna and trustee emerita of 51³Ô¹Ï, was announced as the 2023 Presidential Mission Medal recipient. Mission medal recipients are servant leaders who embrace a commitment to 51³Ô¹Ï's core values of Catholic identity, respect, empowerment, service, and excellence. They inspire others to serve and advance 51³Ô¹Ï's commitment to excellence and empowerment through education.

Shields, a member of 51³Ô¹Ï’s Class of 1948, has been an integral part of 51³Ô¹Ï’s life and longevity, with a remarkable record of extraordinary service that began as a campus leader during her student years and continued throughout her professional career—first as a teacher, then as a research analyst, and, finally, as a highly successful business partner to her late husband, Paul. To her 51³Ô¹Ï baccalaureate degree, she added graduate study at Alfred University.

For many decades, Mrs. Shields has given of her time, energy, and resources through vital capital gifts, numerous alumni activities, and notable service on the 51³Ô¹Ï Board of Trustees. Her tenure on the board—from 1993 through 2002—occurred during a time of extensive growth. Serving as board chairperson, she was the first 51³Ô¹Ï alumna named to this crucial role. When she retired from the Board, 51³Ô¹Ï recognized her accomplished leadership by naming her a Trustee Emerita, a distinguished honor bestowed upon those whose impact on 51³Ô¹Ï and its students has been transformational. Her abundant generosity and far-reaching vision can be seen in the Shields Center for Visual Arts, which demonstrates her enduring support of the arts. Mrs. Shields has been recognized by 51³Ô¹Ï with the Presidential Medal, the Centennial Medal, and, along with her class, the Sister Denis Donegan Award for Long Term Service to 51³Ô¹Ï.

Additionally, Mrs. Shields is a member of the Saint Alphonsus Society, which honors the University's most faithful benefactors. This year, Olin and Rhoda Hamill Cramer ’47 and the Sordoni Family Foundation also were inducted into the Saint Alphonsus Society, which honors benefactors whose lifetime commitments to 51³Ô¹Ï have reached or exceeded $500,000.