Mc Gowan Builders Inc.'s founder and CEO, Patrick Mc Gowan, received the President's Medallion at the annual Christmas at Felician celebration. The award acknowledged both his positive impact on Felician College and his dedication to the Loretta Mc Gowan Foundation, which supports research and educational efforts that improve the lives of people with Down syndrome. Mc Gowan, one of two President's Medallion recipients this year, was recognized for providing a full four-year scholarship to a student majoring in special education. During her speech at the awards ceremony, Dr. Anne Prisco, president of Felician College, expressed the school's gratitude for Mc Gowan's contributions and praised his achievements. She said, "Patrick Mc Gowan, CEO of Mc Gowan Builders, is a perfect example of keen business strategy, having developed his firm into the multi-million dollar construction company it is today. His personal story of perseverance - how he came to the United States as a young man and faced many obstacles - can serve as an inspiration to our students. We thank you, Patrick, for your gift and for being a strong business leader who recognizes and embraces the importance of paying it forward." In 2007, Mc Gowan founded the Loretta Mc Gowan Foundation with the help of his two brothers, Martin and Thomas. The foundation is named in honor of their aunt, Loretta Mc Gowan, who was born with Down syndrome. Through the Mc Gowan Annual Charity Golf Classic, the foundation has raised over one million dollars for various philanthropic causes. A portion of funds raised by the Golf Classic are used to sponsor the four-year scholarship of a Felician College student majoring in special education. The proceeds also benefitted the Stepping Stones School, a residential center for those with mental disabilities, the St. Joseph's Children's Hospital and Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. Ultimately, the Loretta Mc Gowan Foundation hopes to establish its own facility to conduct research, provide education on this genetic disorder and offer a safe haven for individuals with Down syndrome to socialize, learn and most importantly, find happiness.