Keystones of Gratitude
Mira and Greg Zimmerman '83 have long supported Dickinson students, faculty and programs. The college held a ceremony in their honor on July 23. Photo by Dan Loh.
Campus ceremony honors Greg '83 and Mira Zimmerman
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
When Greg Zimmerman '83 studied abroad during the spring of his junior year of college, he became the first in his family to hold a U.S. passport. When he graduated the following year, he became the first in his family to earn a college degree.
Greg never forgot the people and opportunities that paved the way toward these and later milestones, and he and his wife, Mira, are transforming that gratitude into meaningful volunteerism and philanthropy. On July 23, generations of Dickinsonians gathered on campus to thank the Zimmermans for what President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11, described as their “truly transformational” support of the college, its programs and curriculum and the people who bring them to life.
The Zimmermans were commemorated with an inscribed paver on Dickinson's Old West Society Walk, outside the John M. Paz ’78 Alumni & Family Center. The walkway honors members of the Old West Society whose leadership and estate gifts of $1 million or more will have transformational effects on the future of Dickinson.
A quiet kind of power
Elizabeth Woods Meikrantz ’95, Dickinson's director of planned giving, opened the ceremony with thanks and a reflection on the impact of estate gifts. Provost and Dean of the College Renée Cramer highlighted the faculty and student excellence made possible through the Zimmermans’ support of Dickinson’s House Divided Project; the Knowledge for Freedom seminar, which focus on American history, internships and academic programs; and through the establishment of the Neil B. Weissman Chair in the Liberal Arts. She also noted the couple's support of initiatives relating to the study of Native Peoples.
Jones then presented the Zimmermans with a proclamation of appreciation and noted their commitment to the unrestricted endowment and to supporting research programs.
"It is often the quietest donors who make the most profound difference,” Jones said, contrasting the outsized effects of the Zimmermans’ philanthropy with their understated style. “Your philanthropy will truly transform the college."
Support as a keystone
The ceremony included brief remarks from Greg, a former Dickinson history major and student athlete who worked all through college. After earning a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and working for a large law firm, Greg tapped his liberal-arts foundation to launch a successful career in commercial real estate, retiring this past February as executive vice president and chief financial officer at EPR Properties.
He and Mira, a higher-ed professional who earned a journalism degree from Ball State University and a master’s in education from Bowling Green State University, are members of Dickinson’s Founders’ Society, honoring those whose cumulative giving to Dickinson exceeds $1 million. Greg additionally serves on Dickinson’s board of trustees.
"I'm a real believer in a liberal-arts education and the environment in which Dickinson provides it," said Greg, adding that giving and service to Dickinson are "keystones" of his life.
Coming full circle
Neil Weissman—the inspiration for the new faculty chair the Zimmermans are supporting—was among those in attendance. Now retired as dean and provost of the college, Weissman taught history at Dickinson when Greg was a student. He smiled as Greg thanked him and other Dickinson mentors. And, decades after their first class together, Weissman joined the applause when his former student was presented with a high Dickinson honor.
Also in the audience were Matt Pinsker, professor of history and director of Dickinson’s House Divided Project, and three of his House Divided interns. The professor and students had stopped by to offer gratitude for a matching-gift challenge the Zimmermans had issued this year, doubling gifts of up to $10,000 that were earmarked for the House Divided Project. The following day, Greg saw firsthand the professional skills and experiences students build through these programs as he attended a Knowledge for Freedom event.
Asked about the work they’re doing this summer with support from the Zimmermans and others, the students expressed excitement and gratitude. "I think it's really important that people like them are super invested,” said Katelyn Duffy ’29 (undeclared), a House Divided intern. “It shows how important Dickinson is to alumni and that they care about students who are here now.”
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Published July 24, 2026