TicketsMay 2, 2005
CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Larry Sheakley has made a $1 million gift to the University of Cincinnati. Part of the gift will go to the construction of the Richard E. Lindner Varsity Village and the remaining will endow a scholarship, to be given annually to a quarterback on the UC football team.
As a permanent commemorative of Mr. Sheakley's generosity to Varsity Village, the lawn area which will lead into Fifth Third Arena and the new Richard E. Lindner Athletic Center, will be called Sheakley Lawn, in honor of Larry's father, Raymond D. Sheakley, a 1949 graduate of UC's College of Business.
"We are proud that the Sheakley family has joined us to make this contribution to the Richard Lindner Varsity Village project, and I am also pleased that they will be endowing a football scholarship to our program" said UC Director of Athletics Bob Goin.
Dustin Grutza, a redshirt freshman from Maysville, Ky. and an engineering major at UC, has been designated to receive the 2005 Sheakley Scholarship.
Both Larry and Ray are long-time supporters of the University of Cincinnati and Bearcat athletics. Both are members of the George Smith Society. Ray and his wife, Dorothy, sponsor two Honors Plus scholarships in UC's College of Business and have endowed a scholarship for the Carl H. Lindner Honors Plus program.
Larry Sheakley is president and CEO of the Sheakley Group of Companies, which was founded by father Raymond to assist employees with the complexities of workers compensation and unemployment cost control programs. The Sheakley Group is made up of Sheakley UniService, Inc.; Sheakley UniCare, Inc.; Sheakley Pension Administration; Sheakley Benefit Plans; and Sheakley Management Resources.
Grutza, who will receive the first Sheakley Scholarship, redshirted in the 2004 season as a first-year freshman. He earned Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year honors while learning the UC system, and was the top-performing quarterback during the recently-completed spring practice.
A National Honor Society member and recipient of Mason County High School's Distinguished Student Award, Grutza passed for 8,004 yards and 82 touchdowns during his three seasons as a starting quarterback. He led the football team to the semifinals of the state playoffs his senior year and helped the basketball team win a state title as a junior, while being the starting point guard.