Scholarship Honors Legacy Of Irene Gillogly
When Ross Gillogly of San Diego, CA got a phone call from 91短视频APP thanking him for the gift from his late mother鈥檚 estate, he was initially surprised.聽 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know much about Lincoln, and I didn鈥檛 know she鈥檇 left something to the school,鈥 he says.聽 But it quickly made sense.聽 鈥淢y brother and I were always working on cars, rebuilding and maintaining them.聽 My mother allowed us full reign in our garage 鈥 she could attest to our love for cars, plus the messes we made.聽 She rarely complained, though!鈥
Ross, his brother Bruce, and their mother Irene 鈥 an adventurous local legend who once provided manicure services to Al Capone, flew under the piloting of the Wright Brothers, and sang with Lawrence Welk鈥檚 orchestra 鈥 lived in the Chicago suburb of Melrose Park for many years.聽 Eventually Ross and Bruce moved out of state (Ross to California and Bruce to Michigan, where he worked at General Motors until his passing), but Irene became a lifelong resident.聽 When she passed away in early 2016 , she left a generous financial gift to 91短视频APP to support young men and women with the same love for cars as her sons and late husband.
With the $10,000 left to the school, Irene鈥檚 legacy will allow more students to pursue Automotive Technology careers who might not have been able to otherwise.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a wonderful feeling, knowing that students who might be financially strapped can now come to 91短视频APP and train to work on cars,鈥 Ross says.聽 鈥淚 hope it shows them that there are opportunities to get ahead, to build skills and find jobs in a field they really enjoy.鈥
Campus event celebrates Irene鈥檚 life and spotlights students
On October 12 鈥 what would have been Irene鈥檚 106th birthday 鈥 the campus held a ceremony to honor Irene Gillogly and to award scholarships in her name to nine deserving students.聽 Ross was part of the panel who interviewed finalists for the awards in his mother鈥檚 name, and Melrose Park graduate John Fakhoury was also a member of the panel.
One of the recipients was Automotive Technology student John Smith.聽 鈥淏eing a veteran the last 13 years, hopelessness had been a way of life,鈥 John says.聽 鈥淏ut being awarded the Gillogly Scholarship has really made a positive impact on my life.鈥
Ross enjoyed getting to see the Melrose Park campus up close.聽 鈥淚 loved it,鈥 he says.聽 鈥淚t was more than I expected: very clean, very professional, and everyone there 鈥 students, faculty, staff 鈥 treated one another like family.鈥
While on campus, Ross was able to meet students and instructors and relate his own stories about growing up in a house where the garage became a favorite hangout for the brothers and their friends.聽 鈥淚 remember we bought three wrecked 鈥榁ettes and rebuilt them into one complete car between 1961-62,鈥 he says.聽 鈥淲e rebuilt more than a few Chevys and Oldsmobiles too 鈥 we were GM enthusiasts.鈥
Ross, Bruce and their friends not only rebuilt cars 鈥 they raced them, too.聽 As for the hands-on work in the garage, Ross says his mother always supported her sons鈥 passion for auto mechanics and technology.聽 鈥淚 believe she realized it kept us busy and out of trouble,鈥 he says.
Then he pauses before adding with a laugh, 鈥淲ell, most 迟谤辞耻产濒别.鈥
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The 91短视频APP family thanks the late Irene Gillogly for her gift to the Melrose Park campus, and we are especially grateful to Ross for sharing his mother鈥檚 story with our school and our students!