Scott and Cathy McGraw P’12 joined the Skidmore community when their daughter, Carolyn, arrived in 2008. The McGraws participated as members of the Parents Council for four years. Scott McGraw then went on to serve as co-chair of Creating Our Future: The Campaign for Skidmore and as chair of the Board of Trustees.

Support of the Center for Integrated Sciences was a natural progression of their continued commitment to Skidmore— preparing students to flourish and succeed as productive citizens. 

“Whether it’s climate change, our transition to cleaner energy options, how we will deal with the next pandemic, or the ongoing work of finding cures for cancer or Alzheimer’s, all the solutions will be science-based. CIS provides a state-of-the-art facility so Skidmore can carry forward the learning and research that may contribute to finding some of those answers,” said Scott McGraw. “As one of the top liberal arts institutions in the country, it is imperative that we have the science facilities to draw the best faculty and students.” 
 
Recently, Scott and Cathy returned to campus for a tour of the CIS North Wing. They observed that while CIS was designed to foster collaboration, the facilities also provide an attractive atmosphere for integrative learning. 

Scott McGraw noted, “Whether in a class setting or in a lab, I genuinely believe students and faculty will be happy to occupy these spaces. There is an abundance of natural light in many parts of the building, which creates a cheerful and positive environment. The design is also smart and will allow for easy transitions from classroom learning to lab work, just a few steps away.” 

A collaborative spirit among alumni, parents, faculty, staff, foundations, and other friends of the College is what fueled such a monumental endeavor to support the future of the College.

It took a community for CIS to become a reality; all involved have much to be proud of. I hope that everyone will have the opportunity to visit. We are very proud to have played a small part in bringing CIS to life.” — W. Scott McGraw