Gifts Come in All Kinds of Packages

When Stephen Horgan contacted the Mount Mercy Alumni and Development Office in January 2016, his mission was clear. He wanted to honor his wife Cathy upon her retirement from The Coca-Cola Company and surprise her on her 50th birthday.

What transpired was a thing of beauty. But first, here is the back story.

Catherine Bral Horgan graduated from Mount Mercy College in 1988 with a double major in marketing and business management. She personally financed her education by working all four years, and she credits her success to her parents (Dorothy and Leroy) and their strong work ethic and deep desire to be successful.

Her mother, Dorothy Jean Kelly Bral, graduated from the Mount Mercy Academy in 1943 and the Junior College in 1945. Dorothy’s education, work experiences, world travel and never-ending encouragement and support instilled in Cathy a belief that she could accomplish anything. Cathy was inspired to attend Mount Mercy not only to honor Dorothy, but to receive a quality education in a positive environment.

During her senior year at Mount Mercy, Cathy secured an internship with General Mills, which kick-started her career. She joined General Mills after graduation and stayed with the company for seven years.

From there, Cathy went to The Dial Corporation for two successful years and then joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1997, where she served in several senior executive roles. She broke through traditional corporate barriers and made significant contributions on many diverse fronts for 19 years. She retired from Coca-Cola as an executive vice president and left a legacy of diverse associates and managers who will continue to make a positive impact in the coming decades.

As a complete surprise to Cathy, her husband Stephen established the Catherine Bral Horgan and Dorothy Kelly Bral Endowed Scholarship, with a generous gift of appreciated securities plus a 2:1 matching gift from The Coca-Cola Company. The scholarship was announced in front of Cathy’s family and friends at a surprise birthday party in her hometown of Marengo on April 16, 2016.

Cathy hopes the scholarship will inspire recipients to remember where they started, encourage them to give back to others who will be on similar journeys with similar challenges and recognize that opportunities are endless for women with dreams of their own. Her scholarship will provide assistance for female students with preference given to students majoring in business, whose G.P.A. is at least 3.2 and who come from Iowa or Benton Counties.

Cathy is very proud to be from Iowa, to have her degree from Mount Mercy University, and of her family who always inspired her to do more, be more and give more.

Find Your Inspiration

As you plan your year-end giving, consider these 5 easy ways to support Mount Mercy before Dec. 31. Contact Lonna Drewelow at 319-286-4408 or ldrewelow@mtmercy.edu for helpful tips about getting the most from your gift this year.