Meet the Honorees
4/15/2024
Join Kevin M. McGovern and Allen J. West in Support of the 2024 Scholarship Tribute Dinner
The 2024 University of Mount Saint Vincent Scholarship Tribute Dinner is right around the corner—which means preparations for our annual fundraising gala are well underway!
As a reminder, this year’s event will take place on Tuesday, May 7, 2024 at Gotham Hall in the remarkable place we get to call home: New York City.
The band is booked, flowers have been ordered, and food has been tasted. Donations and sponsorships are rolling in, but we’ve still got a long way to go to reach our fundraising goal. Remember: every dollar raised at the Scholarship Tribute Dinner directly benefits life-altering scholarships and grants for our talented and worthy undergraduate study body.
This year, we’re proud to honor two incredible stewards of the University’s mission: Kevin M. McGovern and Allen J. West.
Both Kevin and Allen are at the pinnacle of their respective professions. Kevin is the Chairman and CEO of McGovern Capital Global Family Office and a philanthropist, and Allen is a writer, director, executive producer, and social impact entrepreneur and Founder of the Foster Dreamzzz Foundation. Both within their work and beyond it, Kevin and Allen have devoted their lives and interests to serving the underserved. We are proud to share that both of these inspiring honorees give their time, talent, and resources to improving conditions for young people living in foster care and affected by homelessness, including ensuring access to higher education.
We could not be prouder to highlight their accomplishments and honor them this year!
And, prior to hearing their thoughtful reflections at the Scholarship Tribute Dinner, we had the opportunity to sit down with both Kevin and Allen to learn more about why they’ve given their support to the Mount and what inspires them to serve our students.
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Kevin is no stranger to Mount Saint Vincent and our founders, the Sisters of Charity of New York. He’s known of our work in our small corner of the Bronx for many years, but he became reacquainted with the University a few years ago when his friend and our devoted alumna and trustee, Noreen Culhane ’72, introduced him to President Susan R. Burns and told him a little about the Mott Street Scholarship Program which serves students who have persevered through foster care of homelessness.
The more and more he learned about the Mount, he became enlightened by the role we play in transforming the lives of deserving young people, which aligns directly with his passion:
“You have a responsibility, when you have some level of success, to be significant to your fellow man,” Kevin reflected. “It’s all about to whom you give back, and how. You shouldn’t just feast on what you’re given in life—you need to give it back. That’s where my passion lies.”
Kevin’s success spearheading one of the nation’s leading private investment firms gave him the connections he needed to give back. After learning about the plight of children experiencing foster care in both New York City and the country at large, Kevin decided that he needed to put some effort into helping them. He had the time and the influence, so it only felt like the right thing to do. He started by contacting the Department of Social Services in New York—but they were skeptical of his desire to help. So, he turned to independently run charities in the City and offered his assistance there.
“It’s both a societal and individual responsibility for us to care for those who are less fortunate,” Kevin added. “Once someone realizes that you care about them, they’re more willing to be receptive to your help.”
Kevin has been an ardent supporter of the Mott Street Scholarship Program, believing in the opportunities the Mount creates for young people seeking the life-long benefits of higher education.
Jump forward a few years, Kevin was actually the one to introduce Allen to the University of Mount Saint Vincent, seeing that there could be a beneficial connection to Allen’s work with the Foster Dreamzzz Foundation and the Mott Street Scholarship Program.
Through Foster Dreamzzz, Allen’s goal is to provide young adults with a strong foundation for their future and create a positive impact on youth aging out of the foster care system.
“My passion is changing the lives of children,” Allen remarked. “Passion is an important word because it describes purposes more important. That purpose has been instilled in my DNA. I know that this is why God put me on this Earth, and my passion and purpose are intertwined.”
You may be thinking: why are both Kevin and Allen so passionate about the work that they do? The answer is simple: when they were both children, they experienced the same hardships the young people they are serving face today.
Kevin’s dad passed away when he was 11 years old and his mother was handicapped, which inhibited her from working. As a result, Kevin worked three jobs by the time he was 13 years old just to support his family.
Allen was left at Harlem Hospital and stayed there for 13 months as a child until he was later placed in the foster care system. He grew up in the middle of the arson and cocaine epidemics in of the 1980s in the South Bronx.
Both Kevin and Allen experienced life’s adversities growing up. They are now making it their mission to find solutions to these problems so no young person has to experience the same trials they did.
That’s why programs like the Mott Street Scholarship and institutions like the University of Mount Saint Vincent are so important in today’s society.
“My favorite part of getting to know and working with the Mount community so far has been the people,” said Allen. “To have someone like President Burns accept me into your community means that I must be doing something right in my life!”
Allen is a firm believer in the mission-driven work of the University. Particularly, the mission of his work with Foster Dreamzzz and the Mount’s Mott Street Scholarship are innately intertwined: giving life-changing opportunities to young people in and nearing the end of their time in foster care.
Allen shared that only 3% of young adults aging out of foster care go to college. That means there’s 97% of them who don’t.
“Mount Saint Vincent is a stepping stone to heaven,” Kevin remarked. “The work the people at the Mount are doing is the work of angels and saints. Their students need them, and they need their students. This goes for not just the kids in the Mott Street Program, but all the learners at the Mount.”
When asked why he believes in the transformative power of higher education, Kevin shared:
“In the United States, your education is your royalty. It doesn’t matter where you came from; it doesn’t matter your background. If you get a higher education, you can do absolutely anything.”
Allen’s belief is similar:
“Higher education the great equalizer. It puts everyone on an equal playing field. If you have an education and you work really hard, you will be found. You will have opportunities.”
A Mount Saint Vincent education extends far beyond just knowledge, skills, and preparation for work. We provide a well-rounded education of the whole person to all learners, regardless of family or financial means. This resonates deeply with both Kevin and Allen.
“The Mount’s mission is God’s mission,” Allen boldly stated. “You’re seeing human beings as one race—that’s what it’s supposed to be. I will always be your cheerleader!”
We also gave both Kevin and Allen the opportunity to give some advice to our dedicated, conscientious, and hopeful students who are doing all they can to better themselves and their families by earning a degree. Allen shared:
“Work harder than everybody else. It’s all about discipline and hard work. The Mount has so many generous people who are willing to pay it forward. You just have to do your job, which is to work hard.”
Kevin shared:
“Calmly pursue your passion, but understand that success is really a function of your broad knowledge, not your specific knowledge. Learn a lot, dabble, travel. And don’t get too caught up in the specifics.”
That seems right on track with our belief in the power of the liberal arts!
Kevin and Allen are steadfast supporters of the Mount. And they believe our alums, friends, and donors should continue to demonstrate their support, too.
“They have to,” Allen indicated, “The Jewish community call it a mitzvah—it’s our spiritual and emotional duty to continue to give. If you give, you get back 100 times over. By giving to the Mount, you are changing the trajectory of a human being’s life, and there is nothing more remarkable than that.”
Kevin is always stunned by the incredible generosity of those willing to give back to today’s students.
“With adults you can change their day, but with children you can change their lives.”
Both Kevin and Allen respect the Mount’s call to help the most needy, especially through the Mott Street Scholarship Program. They feel they have a responsibility to help those in need right in our own backyard—and the Mount is doing just that. They will remain fervent supporters of the University of Mount Saint Vincent, the Mott Street Scholarship, and all the students to call the Mount home.
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We hope that Kevin and Allen can inspire you to join them in their support of the Mount, its mission, and its students.
Become part of our community at this year’s Scholarship Tribute Dinner and explore our ticket and sponsorship opportunities.
Can’t make the event, but still want to support our worthy student body? Make a donation.
About the University of Mount Saint Vincent
Founded in 1847 by the Sisters of Charity, the University of Mount Saint Vincent offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education and a select array of professional fields of study on a landmark campus overlooking the Hudson River. Committed to the education of the whole person, and enriched by the unparalleled cultural, educational, and career opportunities of New York City, the University equips students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary for lives of achievement, professional accomplishment, and leadership in the 21st century.