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Dimond family gifts $10.5 M to Cornell’s Nolan school
In recognition of their contribution, the Nolan deanship will now bear the title of Dimond Family Dean of the Nolan Hotel School.
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Dimond family / Image- Justin Chan
Cornell University has announced a $10.5 million gift from the Indian-origin Dimond family to fund scholarships at the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration.
The generous contribution is part of the university’s “To Do the Greatest Good” campaign and aims to enhance access to education for deserving students. In recognition of their contribution, the Nolan deanship will now bear the title of Dimond Family Dean of the Nolan Hotel School.
The endowment will support Cornell’s Undergraduate Affordability Initiative and has unlocked an additional $2.5 million through the university’s affordability challenge match program, further amplifying the impact of the family’s $10.5 million donation.
“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 undergraduate students at the Nolan School with demonstrated financial need, with priority given to first-generation students. Recipients will be designated as Hospitality Scholars.
Ashley Dimond ’14 and Sonja Dimond ’19, both Nolan School alumni, along with their parents, Rita and Navin Dimond, expressed their deep commitment to expanding opportunities through education.
Born to Indian parents in London, Navin Dimond, a first-generation college graduate, highlighted the transformative role education has played in his own life. “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 and Rita both from the United Kingdom moved to Colorado, where they founded Stonebridge Companies and Copford Capital Management. Their philanthropic efforts stem from a long-held belief in giving back to the community, a tradition they instilled in their daughters from a young age.
“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,” said Rita Dimond. “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 the life of that person, but also their entire family.”
Cornell has seen a significant increase in first-generation college students, with nearly 20 percent of the Class of 2026 identifying as such, a rise of 6.4 percent since 2023.
Andrew Karolyi, Charles Field Knight dean of the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, emphasized the broader significance of the Dimond family’s gift. “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,” he said.
“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.”
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