Maniatty, ’43 CC, dies, leaves legacy of generosity

Former Columbia baseball and football star Connie S. Maniatty, CC ’43, passed away on Jan. 8. He was 90 years old. Maniatty was a Wall Street executive and served as a partner and managing director at Salomon Brothers. His financial success in the professional world was accompanied by his generous spirit and dedication to philanthropy. Maniatty never forgot his roots, and the school that helped him attain success. While Maniatty’s passing was a traumatic loss for the Columbia community, the University has a rich history of dedicated student-athlete alumni who generously dedicate time and resources to Columbia’s athletics program.

Maniatty served as permanent president of his class and as a Columbia College trustee. He also took on several positions within the school’s athletics program, serving for 35 years as the chair of the Football Alumni Advisory Committee and chairing the President’s Advisory Committee on Athletics. Maniatty received various accolades over his years as both a student and an alumnus, including the Columbia Alumni Medal, the John Jay Award, and the Varsity C Club Alumni Athletic Award.

Before being inducted into the Columbia Athletics Hall of Fame in its 2006 inaugural class for his dedication to the program as both an athlete and alumnus, Maniatty had a prestigious award given to the University’s top senior male and female student-athletes named after him. Past Connie S. Maniatty Award recipients include Marcellus Wiley, CC ’97; Cristina Teuscher, CC ’00; Caroline Bierbaum, CC ’06; Shannon Munoz, CC ’07; and John Baumann, CC ’08.

“We have lost a special friend who had a great passion for Columbia and Columbia athletics,” M. Dianne Murphy, the director of Columbia athletics, said. “His legacy is an important component of our athletics history. We miss him greatly.”

Last semester, the award formerly known as Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy was renamed for former football team captain William V. Campbell, CC ’62. His unwavering commitment and support for Columbia athletics earned him the distinguished honor. Campbell currently co-chairs the athletics program’s Campaign Leadership Committee with Robert K. Kraft, CC ’63. The committee, which raises funds to improve all aspects of the athletics program, is comprised of 22 dedicated alumni from Columbia College, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, and Barnard College.

Involved alumni like Campbell and Maniatty are not uncommon in the Columbia community. Apart from the 22 members of the Campaign Leadership Committee, many other Columbia alumni remain heavily involved with their alma mater.

“There are many men and women who are great examples of athletic alumni who give generously to the athletics program,” Murphy explained. “We’ve been very fortunate to engage a large number of alumni, many of whom are former student-athletes.”

Columbia alumni provide considerable financial support for Columbia athletics. The Fund for Excellence is an integral component of the athletics program’s alumni campaign, the Columbia Campaign for Athletics. Recently, the campaign launched an ambitious $100 million initiative to work toward its goal of improving the athletics program’s experience for both students and coaches. However, donating to Columbia athletics is not the only form of financial support that alumni provide.

“Many individuals—both athletic and non-athletic alumni—support Columbia athletics by purchasing tickets to, and attending our athletics contests and special events, such as the Athletics Hall of Fame,” Murphy said.

Many alumni also engage with Columbia by dedicating their valuable and limited time to volunteering on committees and boards. For example, the Varsity C Club is spearheaded by an executive committee consisting of five former student-athletes whose graduation years range from 1967 to 2004, and 29 alumni also serve as Program Advisory Committee chairs. This volunteer-run organization is geared toward supplying Columbia athletics with the financial and moral resources necessary to expand and improve the program.

Besides supporting the athletics program through philanthropic giving and volunteering time, Columbia alumni also provide the program with an invaluable resource.

“Our alumni also provide their talents, by providing valuable support in the area of student-athlete career development, mentoring and networking,” Murphy said.

So why is it that Columbia graduates, especially former athletes, feel the need back to give back to the University years after they receive their diplomas? While athletic alumni often donate to other sectors of Columbia besides the athletics program, it is no coincidence that they are among the University’s most supportive alumni.

“It is true that many former student-athletes identify most closely with the athletics program because of the experiences that they had while participating in sports at Columbia,” Murphy said. “Participation in athletics provides tremendous life skills, including teamwork, leadership, perseverance and time management. The camaraderie that exists among teammates and coaches creates bonds that last a lifetime.”

The athletics department and the Office of Alumni and Development work tirelessly to maintain those strong connections between graduates and the University. From hosting events overseas to campus-oriented gatherings, the alumni office is at the forefront of preserving Columbia’s solid base of dedicated alumni. Executive Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Susan Feagin, GS ’74, and Vice President for Alumni Relations Donna MacPhee, CC ’89, along with their committed staffs, have been crucial to engaging alumni.

“Susan and Donna, along with their staff, are absolutely fabulous and have been very helpful to us,” Murphy explained.

At Columbia in particular, where fund-raising comprises a critical component of the athletics program’s success, exceptional alumni involvement is a necessity not taken for granted. With dozens of ways for graduates to get involved after graduation, student-athlete alumni are among the most valuable to the University. The initiatives of Columbia athletics and the Office of Alumni and Development facilitate a rewarding and engaging experience for alumni. Few people understand the importance of athletics alumni as well as Dr. Murphy.

“The success of an athletics program is absolutely dependent on the engaged and continual support of its athletics alumni,” Murphy said. “Whether by giving their time, talents, or treasures, active participation of athletic alumni is often the difference between a good program and a truly exceptional program.”

The enthusiasm of athletics alumni like Connie S. Maniatty is part of what has made athletics at Columbia great. The support of both athletic and nonathletic alumni is vital to the experience of all students on campus.