In the weeks following his Hamilton graduation, Gerald Dirvin '59 set the course for the rest of his life by marrying Polly Burnett and starting to sell soap for Procter & Gamble in Utica. "I really needed a job and a car!" recalls Jerry, who retired in 1994 after 35 years with the company.
Despite a busy career that took the couple to eight cities in their first 15 years of married life, Jerry and his houseparty date remained ever supportive of the College. A Hamilton trustee for nearly 25 years, Jerry has mentored dozens of students and young graduates through the career search process. For some, it meant jobs with P&G; for others he served as counselor, helping them identify the best career path.
Also generous with their financial support, Jerry and Polly established The Dirvin Family Prize Scholarship created to honor Jerry's parents and the Dirvins' children, including son David '84. As part of their retirement planning, the Dirvins set up a charitable remainder unitrust in 1996, the remainder value of which will provide additional support to the scholarship.
"Without the help of two scholarships, plus the money I earned waiting on tables at the DKE house, I would not have been able to attend Hamilton," Jerry says. "Supporting the College now allows me to pay back with interest the benefactors who made my education possible. I'm simply repaying a debt."
