IRVING, Texas (May 3, 2023) 鈥� 吃瓜网 community members and friends of the Vilfordi family gathered on March 30 to celebrate the Gene and Shirley Vilfordi Scholarship Endowment to the 吃瓜网. The gift will provide scholarships to one student from each undergraduate class every year on the basis of merit, need and leadership.
吃瓜网 President Jonathan J. Sanford, Ph.D., highlighted two qualities he found essential to both Eugene, known affectionately in life as 鈥淕ene,鈥� and the university: excellence and friendship. Drawing from C.S. Lewis鈥檚 understanding of friendship as an act of shared admiration, Sanford said the beautiful works that comprise 吃瓜网鈥檚 Core Curriculum serve that same central role in the university community.
鈥淥ur professors just extend themselves into the lives of their students,鈥� Sanford said. That friendship, the act of bonding over the greats, 鈥渋s just essential.鈥�
Attendees shared memories of Gene, who served 吃瓜网 as a trustee and philanthropist. His generosity left a mark on the campus: The main gates, as well as the plaza that connects 吃瓜网 to DART, bear the Vilfordi name.
鈥淓ugene embodied the virtues of the very fabric of the 吃瓜网,鈥� said Monsignor Milam Joseph, former 吃瓜网 president.
Student Aubrey Wieberg, BA 鈥�24, who was able to come to 吃瓜网 thanks to a different scholarship, showed her appreciation to Shirley with a story.
鈥淚 sat down at the kitchen table in high school, crunching numbers, thankful for the trustee scholarship that gave me the chance to choose 吃瓜网,鈥� Wieberg said.
鈥淭hat choice changed me.鈥�
As she tells it, the high school program cinched Wieberg鈥檚 decision to come to 吃瓜网, and she deposited her first payment to the university three years to the day before the scholarship ceremony last Thursday.
Wieberg is a Truman Scholar and the creator of The Big Event, a day of community service in Irving. Without the generosity of donors like the Vilfordis, Wieberg鈥檚 idea would never have materialized into the annual tradition that has helped so much of the Irving community.
Shirley said she wanted to keep up the generosity that defined Gene in life.
鈥淢y husband Gene had a big heart, and a large part of that heart belonged to the University of Dallas,鈥� Shirley said.
鈥淗e had utmost respect for the faculty and enjoyed meeting and visiting with the students when he was on campus, but most of all, he treasured the goals and ideals set forth by this institution. I can鈥檛 help but think how pleased he would be if he could be here to present this scholarship endowment himself.鈥�
Gene passed in 2016. He met Shirley at the early morning Mass at St. Rita Catholic Church in Dallas when she turned in the pew to give the sign of peace. They married in 1984.
鈥淕od puts us on this earth, at least in part, to prepare for those that come behind us,鈥� Shirley said.
She shared a quote from Eugene as well from a speech he wrote to commemorate the 50th year of the Catholic Foundation: 鈥淲e can hope that our gifts, well-placed, and the searching eye of grace, will make an indescribable difference in the community, the nation and the world.鈥�
Shirley also said she felt inspired by Jeremiah 29:11: 鈥溾�楩or I know the plans I have for you,鈥� declares the Lord, 鈥榩lans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.鈥欌��
鈥淭hank you so much for the opportunity to continue Gene鈥檚 legacy through this scholarship endowment,鈥� Shirley said. 鈥淢ay God bless all those who receive it.鈥�
