Keep the Promise

Photo of Vinny and Lynn Ferrari
Photo of Vinny and Lynn Ferrari

The Versatile Virtuoso

Name

Vinny Ferrari ’82

Intro

From Main Street to Wall Street, Vinny Ferrari ’82 knows he has the liberal arts to thank for his success.

Detail

He finds himself pleasantly surprised by just how much he learned at Ursinus—both inside and outside the classroom. It was this well-rounded, interdisciplinary education that has enabled him to thrive throughout his career.

“Ursinus is a safe environment and one that gives students the time and education to have a long, very successful and enjoyable career,” says Vinny. “The rich cultural environment, the students, professors, curriculum and the manageable size of the campus all work in harmony.”

Since receiving his economics degree from Ursinus, Vinny has worked in the financial sector with a focus on technology. He spent more than two decades on Wall Street before relocating to St. Louis to work at Edward Jones. He does not believe that he would have been able to navigate working in The Big Apple without the foundation of knowledge acquired as an undergraduate at the college.

Both Vinny and his wife, Lynn, consider themselves fortunate to have had such an opportunity for learning. Both their parents stressed the importance of education and provided the funding necessary to make college attendance possible. But they know that not everyone is so lucky. That is why in 2016 they marked Ursinus’s significance in their lives by creating a named scholarship. The Vincent J. Ferrari ’82 and Lynn M. Ferrari Annual Fund Scholarship supports students at the college who demonstrate both academic merit and financial need. The Ferraris have a special interest in supporting those deserving students studying mathematics or computer science.

Fortunately, for both Ursinus and its students, the Ferraris were inspired to create a second scholarship just one year later—this time with a special interest for students focused upon art and art history.

Vinny explains his motivations for the latest scholarship saying, “As a senior at Ursinus, I elected to take Art History and it became my favorite course. It provided a perspective beyond what was possible with economics and computer science.” He adds, “Also, Lynn has a degree in Art History from SUNY Oswego, and during her studies both domestically and abroad developed a deeper appreciation of culture and humanity.”

Today, Vinny is a Principal, Chief Information Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer at Edward Jones. Although he has spent the majority of his career in the technology field, he feels it is critical for students to develop into “polyglots.” Vinny clarifies, “not exclusively with foreign languages but rather, learning to speak the multiple languages of success. English. History. Business. Science. Mathematics. Art. Accounting. People. Broaden your perspective, be interesting and be interested. Learn how multiple disciplines will enable you to think more broadly, more quickly and at a higher level.”

The Ferraris personify the vision, value and objectives of a liberal arts education at Ursinus. One that help students navigate the unknown to find success on whatever “street” they may land.

BG Image

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BG color

yellow

Display Date

Fall 2017