Maxwell School alumna Margaret Beemer Bringewatt ’68 BA (PSc)/ ’72 MPA and her husband Paul have established, through gift annuities, a fund that will provide financial assistance to graduate students across the School.

Both donors, now retired and residing in Canandaigua, New York, have spent their careers in public service. Margaret focused her professional career on planning, development, and advocacy for affordable housing. She is the former senior vice president for the Rochester Cornerstone Group and executive director of Providence Housing Development Group, as well as a fund-raising volunteer for senior healthcare facilities

Paul has worked primarily in municipal finance and management. He held positions in Canandaigua, Syracuse, and Rochester, New York, government and since 2006 has operated a consulting service, focused on local government management, water, and sewer matters  He is also the former vice president of administrative services at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a former adjunct faculty member at Maxwell. He was a long-time trustee of Wood Library, Canandaigua.

“We believe in the importance of quality local government,” Margaret said, “hence the key role Maxwell continues to play in educating local government leaders.”

Dean David M. Van Slyke noted, “It is so gratifying to celebrate the generous philanthropic investment of our alumni, in this case Margaret and Paul, who have done so much to serve the public good.  Supporting Maxwell students—both undergraduate and graduate—is a critical component of the School’s strategic plan.  We are deeply indebted to the generosity of the Bringewatts.”