A Legacy of Possibility: Dickinson Inducts Vince ’80 and Mimi Sheehy and Marjorie Speers ’78 Into Founders’ Society
From left: Mimi Sheehy; Vince Sheehy '80; President John E. Jones '77, P'11; Beth Jones P'11; and Marjorie Speers '78. Photo by Ed Devos.
College community gathers to honor impactful benefactors
For Vince ’80 and Mimi Sheehy and Marjorie Speers ’78, the Dickinson experience is a gift meant to be shared. By opening doors for today’s and tomorrow’s students, these visionary alumni help make a Dickinson education accessible to talented students with limited financial means.
Dickinson recently welcomed Speers and the Sheehys into the Founders’ Society, an elite group of benefactors whose lifetime giving to the college totals $1 million or more. The newest inductees have focused their giving on changing the lives of numerous students through scholarships—some of whom were on hand to offer thanks during the recent induction ceremony.
Empowered to say ‘yes’
Anastasiia Khlopina ’18, who attended Dickinson thanks to a scholarship established by Speers, earned a master’s in divinity after graduating from Dickinson and is now youth chaplain. “What my scholarship did for me was to make possible some of the most improbable, life-changing connections,” Khlopina said. “My four years at Dickinson gifted me with a lifelong community of friends and mentors, a delight in learning and personal and even spiritual growth. All of those experiences truly shaped the person that I am today and I'm so, so grateful.”
Sheehy Scholar Franklyn Akabi-During ’28 is a standout track athlete who recently set a school record in the 200-meter dash. He shared the life-changing impact of his scholarship and noted that Vince's mentorship is a huge factor in his success at Dickinson. "Mr. Sheehy always makes time for me,” he said. “I'm strengthened by his presence in my life.”
Seth Allen, vice president for enrollment management, spoke about the donors' further-rippling effects. "They've open doors for young people who might never have imagined themselves within our historic limestone walls," he said. “They’ve made it possible for students to say ‘yes’ to Dickinson, yes to exploration, yes to challenge, yes to becoming the people they are meant to be."
Two paths, one mission
The inductees arrived at their philanthropic leadership through distinct but equally inspired paths.
Speers entered Dickinson at age 23, during a time when far fewer women pursued careers in science. She completed her degree with honors in just two-and-a-half years. Her distinguished career includes her work as an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as the founding president of the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs.
She shared that Dickinson's financial aid made it possible for her to graduate nearly debt-free. This experience, along with the philanthropic example set by her father and the support of her late husband, led her to establish the Speers Family Scholarship in 2003, which prioritizes nontraditional students. "I give because I believe in the college, and because I am grateful to Dickinson,” said Speers, an emeriti trustee. “This is a great institution that transforms lives."
For Vince ’80 and Mimi Sheehy, philanthropy is a family mission rooted in the power of education. Vince is CEO of Sheehy Auto Sales and a Dickinson trustee. Mimi is a teacher from a family of educators. Over the years, they’ve expanded their support from annual memorial scholarships to a visionary, cohort-based, full-tuition program for students from the Washington, D.C., region.
“This school is on an incredible trajectory, and I'm just so happy to be a part of it,” Vince said. “I'm just amazed by the students we meet every time we're on campus."
A shared tradition
The ceremony ended with a meaningful tradition. Just as incoming students sign into the college during Convocation, the Sheehys and Speers signed into the Founders’ Society—a gesture of cross-generational connection.
As he formally inducted the honorees into the college’s most prestigious giving society, President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, pointed out that their generosity helps Dickinson fulfill its goal of meeting the full demonstrated need of every admitted student.
“The visionary philanthropists we honor tonight have transformed the lives of our students,” he said. “Together, they are helping to ensure that financial constraints don't prevent admitted students from experiencing a life-changing Dickinson education.”
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Published March 6, 2026