Michael A. Ruane ’71	The Honorable William C. '60 and Emily D. Leary

PC’s nationally prominent women’s ice hockey program recently received two generous gifts from alumni totaling $310,000 that will provide it with two new scholarships plus funding to help renovate and reconstruct its locker room in Schneider Arena. Combined with $70,000 in fundraising by the Department of Athletics, financial support for the program reached $380,000.

Michael A. Ruane ’71, chair of PC’s Board of Trustees and a member of the College’s Corporation, donated $210,000 for the scholarships. The Honorable William C. Leary ’60 and his wife, Emily D. Leary, donated $100,000 toward the estimated $200,000 cost for the locker room makeover.

Ruane challenged the Department of Athletics to raise $70,000 for the women’s ice hockey scholarship fund. Once the department reached this goal, he matched the $70,000 and donated an additional $140,000 for a second scholarship. The scholarships take effect in fall 2006.

“I have made contributions to academic initiatives in prior donations,” Ruane said. “I am very pleased to be able to help the women's ice hockey program, which I believe is a program that exemplifies all things that are good about Providence College. I look forward to helping other programs that continue the mission of the College.”

Ruane is the founder and managing partner of TA Associates Realty, a real estate advisory firm based in Boston, Mass.

The second gift, from the Learys, is in recognition of “one of the premier college women’s ice hockey programs in North America,” Leary said during the team’s end-of-year banquet in April. He noted that his commitment to the program developed when he served as president of the PC Alumni Association in 2003-04. 

“The coaches and the exceptional student-athletes who are now part of this program deserve the very best that we can give them and we are proud to be able to assist in this way,” added Leary later. He has been a probate judge in Windsor Locks, Conn., since 1971 and is a partner in the law firm of O’Malley, Deneen, Leary, Messina & Oswecki.

Providence women’s ice hockey team captured four consecutive conference tournament titles from 2002-05, including three straight HOCKEY EAST titles. The Friars advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history in 2005.

“We are overwhelmed by the generosity of Michael Ruane and the Learys,” said PC Head Coach Bob Deraney. “Because of the generosity of these wonderful people, we continue to be regarded as one of the best programs in the nation. These gifts will ensure that we will be able to continue to compete for the best players in the world.”