$13 million gift from Dimond family to support scholarships at hotel school
A new $13 million endowment from the Dimond family will fund scholarships at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration as part of the university’s “To Do the Greatest Good” campaign.
The endowment, which contributes to Cornell’s Undergraduate Affordability Initiative, unlocked $2.5 million through the university’s affordability challenge match program, increasing the impact of the family’s $10.5 million gift.
The Nolan deanship will be named the Dimond Family Dean of the Nolan Hotel School, in honor of the family.
“I am so very grateful to the Dimond family for this incredible investment in our industry’s future,” said Kate Walsh, the inaugural Dimond Family Dean of the Nolan School at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
“Navin, Rita, Ashley and Sonja epitomize what it means to be generous, thoughtful and other-centered – the true meaning of hospitality. This gift of providing education and opportunity to others continues this family’s legacy of positively impacting our world.”
The scholarships will be awarded to top Nolan undergraduates with demonstrated financial need, prioritizing first-generation students. Recipients will be known as Hospitality Scholars.
With this gift, Ashley and Sonja, both Nolan alumni, along with their parents Rita and Navin Dimond, aim to expand opportunities through education.
Sonja and Ashley both said their family has a significant passion for education and recognizes its power.
Sonja and Ashley said studying at Cornell, and specifically at the Nolan School, was about more than just attending classes. It was about hands-on learning and being immersed in an industry that thrives on connectivity. They want others to have that experience and the opportunities that follow.
Navin was the first in his family to attend college.
He and Rita grew up as the children of Indian immigrants to the United Kingdom before they earned their degrees, settled in Colorado, and founded Stonebridge Companies and Copford Capital Management.
“How did I find myself where I am? I would argue it was being in the right environment and having access to education,” said Navin, who serves as a member of the Nolan Dean’s Advisory Board. “And now our family is continually trying to pay it forward.”
Navin believes every person has an innate capacity to thrive if given the chance. Having benefited from educational opportunities and goodwill within the hospitality community himself, he feels a responsibility to make the world a better place.
This gift and their other philanthropic efforts continue a Dimond family tradition that began years ago when Rita and Navin gave their young daughters a monthly allowance for charity, taught them how to research and select worthy causes, and helped them record their donations in a handwritten spreadsheet.
“Navin and I grew up in very modest, family-oriented, simple homes. When we started the company, we never, ever imagined we would be where we are today,” Rita said. “We are so blessed, and it’s our duty to give back. Focusing on the first generation matters to us because the impact not only touches that person’s life, but also their entire family.”
Nearly 20% of Cornell’s Class of ’26 identifies as first-generation, an increase of 6.4% since 2023, and many have unique concerns regarding the college experience.
“On behalf of the SC Johnson College, I’d like to thank the Dimond family for this transformative gift, which strengthens not only the Nolan School and its leadership, but also the entire college,” said Andrew Karolyi, the Charles Field Knight Dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business.
“Their family’s commitment exemplifies the interconnectedness between industry leaders, alumni and current students that creates opportunities for top talent to continue to thrive here and beyond.”