Grady Siblings Credit Buckeye Beginnings for Success

As first-generation college students, all four siblings in the Grady family started with open possibilities when it came time to making decisions about higher education. Ginny Grady, Patti Clay, Alison Jabbour and Mike Grady laid down solid foundations in education and athletics during the time they spent at Newark Catholic High School in the 1970s and 1980s. While their careers took them along vastly different paths — from Texas to Florida to Delaware, with majors in accounting, finance/marketing, elementary education and chemical engineering — the special bond they developed as Buckeyes has helped them remain as strong as ever.

Patti Clay

While the eldest sister, Ginny, would enter the workforce immediately upon high school graduation, her younger sister Patti was the first to officially blaze a path to The Ohio State University at Newark. The 1985 graduate earned her associate degree followed by her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, spending all four years in the place that felt close to home in more ways than one.

“I think that's an advantage of Ohio State Newark — you're a regional campus, but you still feel very much a part of the [Columbus] campus, even though you're in Newark,” Clay said.

Thanks to a variety of scholarships and grants, Clay was able to attend the Newark campus for free.

Upon graduation, she taught at St. Francis de Sales School for five years before moving to Texas, where she has lived since and continues to teach. She also went on to obtain her master’s degree at Lamar University and 60 credits hours toward her PhD and principal certificate — processes for which she felt adequately prepared, thanks to her Buckeye education.

“Ohio State Newark gave me everything I needed to teach anywhere,” she said.

Alison Jabbour

Following the Buckeye path, Jabbour also began her higher education experience at Ohio State Newark. After spending two years there, she transferred to the Columbus campus and graduated in 1988 with a degree in chemical engineering, which in turn led to a fulfilling 30-year career at DuPont which took her to southeast Texas; Louisiana; and Wilmington, Delaware.

“Ohio State Newark really was a steppingstone for me to achieve my first two years of basic requirements prior to starting my engineering curriculum at Ohio State’s Columbus campus. But it was wonderful,” Jabbour said.

“I thought it was the perfect experience for me, because at 18 I still could be at home and be growing up, but have the experience of college life, get ready for living away from home and the dorm life.”

Mike Grady

Mike also enjoyed his own positive Buckeye experience. He spent four years at the Columbus campus, balancing his studies in finance and marketing with demanding workouts as a distance swimmer for the Ohio State varsity men’s swim team, serving as Captain his senior year. After graduation, Mike established his own successful insurance brokerage business in South Florida, Grady Professional Services, Inc., specializing in professional liability insurance for physician groups and medical centers across the country.

He learned valuable lessons about work ethics, accountability, and community which he will never forget. He’s also thankful — as are his sisters — for the opportunity their parents, Mike and Mary Grady, gave them to further their education.

“None of this happens without our mom and dad’s extreme sacrifice,” Mike said.

Ginny Grady

While she’d experienced a rewarding career at State Farm Insurance, Ginny Grady always had a passion to be a Buckeye as well. She earned her Associate of Arts in Newark and then transferred to the Columbus campus for her Bachelor of Science in Accounting, which she earned in 1995, graduating magna cum laude. During her studies, she made valuable connections with students and fellow professors, many of which she maintains to the present day.

She’s thankful for the opportunity and flexibility Ohio State Newark offered, giving her a chance to simultaneously continue her career and further her education.

“For me, Ohio State Newark allowed me to continue my work efforts, but also pursue my lifelong dream of having an education and a degree from Ohio State,” Ginny said.

After more than 40 years with State Farm, Ginny continues to give back to her alma mater, becoming involved with alumni relations. Jabbour, too, has served as an alumni mentor.

Family Ties

And while their Buckeye tie isn’t the only thing which keeps the four siblings tight knit, they agree it definitely helps strengthen their bond.

“The four of us have always been very close as siblings, but also being Buckeyes, we really enjoy each other and have a lot of fun together,” Ginny said.

Whether they’re gathering from across the country to visit with their mom or taking in a football game at Ohio Stadium, a basketball game at the Schott or other Buckeye activities, the siblings continue to draw upon their Ohio State roots, established from an early age.

“As a result of the excellent education we received from OSU and our own hard work, the four of us have led successful careers. Thank you, Ohio State Newark, for providing this strong foundation!”