Triple Threat
Unique scholarship awarded to outstanding student who proposed pioneering triple-degree program
It's a joyful occasion when a successful individual extends a generous hand to students who are eager to learn, excel, and contribute to society.
A celebration held just days before the launch of the Momentum2 campaign this past February honored just such an occasion, honoring the creation of a first-of-its-kind triple-degree program at the University of Miami’s School of Law and the man who made it possible. The $1.5 million gift made by entrepreneur Steven Mariano will enable students who received an undergraduate degree in business to earn three degrees — a J.D., an LL.M. in taxation, and an M.B.A. — in four years.
A generous donation from entrepreneur Steven Mariano (left) created a scholarship for a pioneering triple-degree program suggested by law student Christopher Callahan (right), who was named the first Mariano Scholar this spring.
Mariano, the CEO and chairman of Patriot National Insurance Group Inc., had previously remarked to Christopher Pizzo, J.D. ’09, former president of Miami Law’s Moot Court Board, that he wanted to do something to help students at the law school; Pizzo then made the introduction between Mariano and Miami Law Dean Patricia D. White. The resulting scholarship enables students to pursue a triple degree that, said White, is "unique in the country" and fosters "an extraordinarily powerful combination of skills."
Mariano predicted the new endeavor would allow graduates to be a "triple threat" in the employment arena. "You need to be prepared for the unexpected," he said, noting that multiple degrees add heft to a job candidate's resume: "This is what people like me will be looking for."
Christopher Callahan, the third-year law student who suggested the program, is the first recipient of the Mariano Scholarship. He noted that the gift enables him to focus on legal research, community involvement, and charitable endeavors, all while pursuing multiple advanced degrees at the University of Miami.
"I plan to work extremely hard in my career in order to demonstrate that Mr. Mariano’s generosity was well placed," Callahan said. "He has also inspired me to give back to the University of Miami in a similar manner once I have acquired the capacity to do so."