MacDonald Family Donates $100,000 to New Zaffere Library

Stevenson University is pleased to announce that the Bradley T. MacDonald Family Foundation has donated $100,000 to support the university’s latest capital project. The gift from Shirley D. MacDonald, wife of the late Bradley McDonald—former Chair and CEO of Medifast—and her daughters Kellie MacDonald and Meg Sheetz, a Trustee of Stevenson University since 2011, will support the university’s new Philip A. Zaffere Library. A groundbreaking for the new library was held July 7, 2021.

“We are very grateful for this gift from Shirley, Kellie, and Meg on behalf of the MacDonald Family Foundation,” said Elliot Hirshman, Ph.D., President of Stevenson University. “The MacDonald family have been great friends of Stevenson for many years and have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the academic and career enrichment of our students.”

Shirley MacDonald joined her late husband, who served on Stevenson’s Board of Trustees, in supporting student success at Stevenson through a variety of initiatives, including scholarships, internships, and facilities such as the Bradley T. MacDonald Learning Commons in the Manning Academic Center. Her daughter Meg Sheetz has continued her father’s legacy of service to Stevenson as a Trustee, who currently chairs the University Advancement Committee and sits on the Executive Committee as well as the Governance Committee of the Board.

Currently the Managing Partner of Greyhound Holdings and Managing Trustee of the Bradley T. MacDonald Family Foundation, Sheetz is the former President and COO of Medifast, Inc. Her record of service includes the Greater Baltimore Committee, the Board of Advisors for Holly Poultry, Inc., and the Villanova University President’s Advisory Council. She holds a bachelor’s from Villanova University and an Executive MBA from Loyola University Maryland. Sheetz has been honored by the Daily Record as a two-time recipient of their top 100 leading women in Baltimore.

“Our family continues to be extremely excited for the future success of Stevenson University,” said Sheetz. “We look forward to our gift enhancing the student life experience on campus and watching the campus continue to evolve and exceed student expectations for years to come.”

The 42,000-square-foot Philip A. Zaffere Library is named in honor of the late Eastern Shore entrepreneur Philip A. Zaffere, whose foundation donated the naming gift for the new library. The library will complement the Manning Academic Center and School of Design, creating an academic hub at the university’s Owings Mills North campus, and will house the Zirkin Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, named in honor of late Stevenson Associate Dean Barbara Zirkin. Construction is slated to begin in Fall 2021.

Originally founded in 1947 a Villa Julie College, Stevenson University serves more than 2,700 undergraduate students at its campus in Owings Mills, Md., as well as students in the university’s new Doctor of Psychology program and approximately 1,000 online graduate and bachelor’s students through Stevenson University Online. Stevenson is dedicated to creating connections to careers, a supportive community, and exceptional experiences in and out of the classroom to foster students’ academic, social, and professional success.

Shirley MacDonald (middle) with daughters Kellie MacDonald (left) and Meg Sheetz (right), who serves as a Stevenson Trustee.