NYPD Officer Brian Mulkeen, a 2008 alumnus of the Gabelli School of Business, was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept. 29 during an investigation of gang activity in the Bronx. Fordham has established the Brian Mulkeen Memorial Scholarship to honor his life and legacy.
The scholarship will provide financial aid to high-achieving undergraduates in the Gabelli School of Business, and is funded in part by a generous matching grant from Mario Gabelli, Class of ’65, and his wife, Regina Pitaro, FCRH ’76. More than 65 other Fordham alumni and friends helped create the endowed fund.
“Brian Mulkeen went out into the world to do exactly what we expect of our alumni—be a man for others—and he was slain in service to the local community,” said Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of Fordham, at the time of Mulkeen’s death.
The 33-year-old officer was a standout student athlete during his time at Fordham, and had agreed to return to Fordham as a volunteer coach before he was killed. After graduating from Fordham, Mulkeen went to work on Wall Street, but eventually left finance to join the NYPD, where he served for almost six years.
“Brian Mulkeen was living the American dream,” Gabelli said. “He could have had anything, but he decided to serve his city and community as a police officer instead. Regina and I thought a scholarship in his name at the business school is a way to honor his roots and his sacrifice.”
Donna Rapaccioli, Ph.D., dean of the Gabelli School and a member of its Class of ’83, said the scholarship will support academically high-performing students who might be unable to stay at the University without financial aid.
“Though nothing can repair the tragedy of Brian’s death, we hope this scholarship will keep his memory alive at Fordham and serve as an example to our students for the kind of dedication and integrity we champion,” Rapaccioli said. “Brian truly was a man for others, and his named scholarship is an honor to the school.”
Make a gift in support of the Brian Mulkeen, GABELLI ’08, Memorial Endowed Scholarship.
