Northwestern University Alumni

Patrick G. Ryan
BBA, Kellogg School of Management, 1959
Honorary, 2009
Life Trustee

Shirley Welsh Ryan
BA, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, 1961
Honorary, 2019

Pat and Shirley Welsh Ryan have made such a wide-ranging impact on Northwestern University that summing up their philanthropy might seem like a difficult task. Yet when their long history of generosity is viewed as a whole, one common thread emerges.

"What Pat and Shirley Ryan care about is excellence,” said President Morton Schapiro. “They believe the very best of what we can achieve at Northwestern is what we should aspire to.”

The Ryans have been extraordinary donors to Northwestern for many years, providing leadership and support for academic programs, scholarships, the construction of Northwestern’s Nanotechnology Center, Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and the renovation of Northwestern’s football and basketball stadiums. They recently made the lead gift in support of Northwestern’s athletics campaign. In honor of their gift, the new multi-use athletics and recreational facility will be named the Ryan Fieldhouse.

An earlier major gift from the Ryans created scholarships for low-income students to attend Northwestern without taking out any student loans, which has enabled Northwestern to attract high-achieving low-income students with exceptional leadership potential. That gift also supported graduate fellowships and facilities on both the Evanston and Chicago campuses, as well as providing athletic scholarships for undergraduate students.

Pat is a 1959 graduate of the Kellogg School of Management (then known as the School of Business). He is distinguished as one of Chicago’s most successful entrepreneurs and prominent civic leaders. He founded and served for 41 years as CEO of Aon Corporation, the leading global provider of risk management, insurance, and reinsurance brokerage. At the time of his retirement, Aon had $8 billion in annual revenue with more than 500 offices in 120 countries. He also founded Ryan Specialty Group where he currently serves as CEO.

A member and immediate past chairman of Northwestern University’s Board of Trustees, Pat is a member of the International Insurance Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society, reflecting his many contributions to higher education. Pat led Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.

Shirley is a 1961 graduate of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. She is Chair of Pathways.org and serves on the Executive Committee or on the Board of Directors of: the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, and the Alain Locke Charter Academy. Shirley has been appointed by two U.S. presidents to the President’s National Council on Disability and has served as chairman of the Chicago Community Trust. She founded and directs Northwestern University’s invitational graduate level Learning for Life series and has been a charter member of Northwestern's Women's Board since 1978.

Residents of Winnetka, Illinois, Shirley and Pat are proud parents of three adult sons, Corbett, Rob (L00, KSM00), and Pat (KSM97, L97); and three grandchildren.