Christine Bonati
The Honorary Alumna status carries with it a very distinct honor. This category recognizes individuals who are not Eureka College Alumni, but who have demonstrated an unusual commitment and loyalty to the institution and have provided great efforts in the advancement of Eureka College, its students, and its mission.
In 2008, Eureka College became the beneficiary of a $1 million gift from Christine Bonati Bollwinkle, which is the largest single gift from a living donor in the College’s history. Her generous donation addressed two important needs of Eureka College students: student life facilities and support for scholarships.
Christine’s gift made possible the building of the Bonati Fitness Center, named for her late husband, Ronald P. Bonati, who attended Eureka College from 1957 to 1960 and later served his alma mater as a member of the Eureka College Board of Trustees. The 1,600-square-foot Bonati Fitness Center is a beautiful addition to the front of the Reagan Physical Education Center and includes 30 pieces of state-of-the-art aerobic and strength training equipment and features three LCD televisions. It is available for use by the entire Eureka College community.
Funding from Christine’s gift was also directed to endow four $6,000 scholarships, awarded annually to freshmen interested in fitness and music, respectively. The scholarships are named for Mr. Bonati and Mary Jo Finch, Class of 1959. Mary Jo Finch passed away in 1999, but her husband Jim is in our audience tonight and is celebrating his Golden “E” reunion this weekend. This gift has greatly impacted our campus and the lives of students.
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Christine Bonati
Watch her accept her award>
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