Stony Brook University
09/18/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 09/18/2024 10:20
Jacob Thomas ’73 Establishes Endowed CEAS Scholarship
Jacob Thomas '73
When Jacob Thomas '73 applied to the electrical engineering graduate program at Stony Brook University, he had no idea it would lead to a successful career in computer science. And when Thomas started giving back to Stony Brook through annual giving, he never expected to establish an endowed scholarship using a qualified charitable donation (QCD). But both of those things did happen, and Thomas is thrilled that he can provide opportunities for students, the same way Stony Brook provided an opportunity to him.
Thomas recently retired from Verizon, where he started in the research and development department before moving into customer support applications. Through Verizon's corporate match program, Thomas started contributing yearly to scholarship funds at Stony Brook, but always wanted to give more to the university. When he read an article in SB Matters about an alumni couple creating an endowment and taking advantage of the New York State endowment match program and the Simons Infinity Investment match, he was inspired to do the same.
He decided to make a QCD through his IRA to establish the Jacob Thomas Mooletharayil Endowed Scholarship, named after his father and grandfather because education was a big part of his family. "My grandfather was a teacher and my father had scholarships to support him through college," said Thomas. "The importance of education was instilled in me at a young age, and honoring their name through this scholarship ensures their legacy will live on at Stony Brook."
"Jacob Thomas' experience at Stony Brook is one that we hope all of our students have," said College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Andrew Singer. "By establishing this scholarship, Jacob has demonstrated his deep commitment to providing opportunities for our students to ensure they get a world-class education."
Read the full story at SB Matters.