Leading a Life in Service to Others

Natalie Hagan, Centre College Class of 2020, won the McNeill Scholarship to support her summer research at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. An experienced researcher and published author, Natalie interviewed patients and managed samples for DNA analysis. She plans to attend medical school.

David McNeill, Centre graduate from the Class of 1953, built his life and career around helping others, particularly young people, make their way in life.

As a doctor, David mended the sick. As a medical professor, he mentored aspiring young doctors to be true healers. As a donor to Centre, he strived to make an impact on the lives of students. David gave of himself and enriches others.

Because he was so intentional about his giving, he gave considerable thought to how to best structure a significant gift in 2015. With certificates of deposit about to mature in the fall of 2015, David knew these were good assets to use for a gift to Centre. After discussions with Centre's planned giving officers, he decided to create a two-part blended gift: one portion of his gift funded an immediate charitable gift annuity, paying him a quarterly income, and the other portion created a named scholarship fund, where the funds could be put to use right away helping students.

Leading by Example

The David Lee McNeill, M.D. and Virginia Howard McNeill, R.D. Scholarship fund was created to inspire students to lead lives of service to others. In particular, he wanted to encourage and enable students to pursue careers in the health professions, especially medicine and nutrition. Both were dedicated to improving the lives of others, David as an ophthalmologist and medical school professor, and his late wife, Virginia, as a registered dietitian.

Having grown up in Louisiana and Texas, David obtained his liberal arts education at Centre with enough science credits to be accepted to all three medical schools that he applied to. His father was an ordained Presbyterian minister who supported himself through high school and seminary, and David himself was supported through Centre by his uncles, which allowed him to graduate debt-free. Though he has worked hard to get where he has, David did not forget how other people invested in him, too.

After attending medical school at Baylor University, he served as a USAF flight surgeon at the Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California, held a private practice in ophthalmology for 35 years, and volunteered as an instructor at Tulane Medical School. For his 50 years as a medical practitioner, he was recognized for excellence by the Louisiana State Legislature, the New Orleans mayor, an Algiers council member, Tulane Medical School and the American Board of Ophthalmology. David was known as a teacher, mentor and overall inspiration to those seeking to practice medicine.

David believed that giving includes material, spiritual, physical, emotional and mental health support. Through his gifts of time, financial assets and encouragement, he made a wide impact on others.

Contact Jamey Leahey ’92 at (859) 238-5522 or leahey@centre.edu for more information about making a gift that will make an impact on students and secure Centre's future.