Background of the Pauline and Irving Tanner Dean's Scholarship
The Pauline and Irving Tanner Scholarship was created by Harold Tanner ILR ’52 to honor his parents, whose lives exemplified the finest in American tradition.
Pauline and Irving Tanner were children of immigrants. Although neither received a college education nor even a high school degree, they maintained a profound interest in education. They were civic leaders in their community, Glens Falls, New York. Irving Tanner, a traveling salesman who spent the greater part of his career driving between Glens Falls and other small towns in upstate New York and Vermont, found time to be active in veterans’ affairs as well as a leader in Civil Defense and War Bond Drives during World War II. Pauline Tanner was the founder of Hadassah in Glens Falls and an officer and speaker for that organization and other Zionist groups in northeastern New York. She held many positions of responsibility with the Glens Falls League of Women Voters.
By a combination of thrift and careful planning they enabled their children to receive college educations. The value that Pauline and Irving Tanner placed in education is further attested to by the fact that their five grandchildren all have undergraduate degrees and have advanced degrees in medicine, law, business, or journalism. This pattern is being continued by the two oldest of their eleven great-grandchildren who are close to earning MD and PhD degrees, respectively.
Harold Tanner, their only son, is a New York investment banker and served as a University Trustee for 20 years including Chairman of the Board from 1997 to 2002. His daughter, Karen, graduated from Cornell in the Class of 1983.
More Information
To learn more about the Dean's Scholar Program, please contact Clare McMillan.