Index
Scholarships
The Dirvin Family Scholarship
The Dirvin Family Scholarship, established in 1966, is awarded with preference given to students who are U.S. citizens demonstrating significant financial need. It was established by Gerald V. Dirvin, Class of 1959, and his wife, Polly.
Gerald V. Dirvin, known by friends and family as Jerry, spent his youth on the family’s dairy farm in Meridale, New York. In addition to long hours on the farm, he also worked at the local grocery store, mowed lawns, delivered newspapers, and sold hotdogs at Minor League baseball games. Of his time on the Hill, where he majored in English, Jerry recalls, “Athletics and the development of public speaking skills were the two biggest take-aways from my Hamilton years.” After graduating in 1959, he married Polly Burnett, a Cornell alumna, and took a position with Procter & Gamble. Now retired, he continues to stay involved with the College. Jerry joined the College’s Board of Trustees, in 1979. He was elected as a Charter Trustee in 1998 and Life Trustee in 2002. From 1990 to 2002, he served as the Board’s Vice Chair. His son David graduated from Hamilton in 1984, and his grandson, Andrew Dirvin, is a member of the Class of 2017.
June 2014
Please note: The named scholarships profiled on these pages are awarded as part of the College’s need-based financial aid packages. These funds help ensure the Hamilton Promise of keeping education affordable through meeting a student’s full demonstrated financial need.
Materials published here were diligently researched and written by students who strived for historical accuracy.
