DePaul University Athletics
DePaul Athletics Loses a Treasured Benefactor
2/15/2018 12:00:00 AM | MEN'S SOCCER
CHICAGO – A treasured member of the DePaul Athletics community and a former soccer standout whose generosity and kindness knew no bounds passed away this week.
Jack Cummins, a 1988 Liberal Arts and Sciences graduate who earned his DePaul law degree in 1992, wore his Blue Demon loyalty on his sleeve and never failed to appreciate the university’s impact on his life.
The highly successful entrepreneur and attorney founded the law firm Cummins & Associates Ltd. in Chicago that developed intellectual property-driven companies in sports, entertainment, social media and IT.
He was also the Managing Director of Club 9 Sports and former president of BOOM! Studios in Los Angeles, an award-winning comic book and graphic novel publisher partnering in film and television. Cummins was a former owner and general counsel with the Chicago Red Stars women’s pro soccer team.
Cummins was always looking for ways to share his prosperity and success with his alma mater. In 2016, he spearheaded the Blue Demon Challenge by offering to donate $25,000 to university fundraising efforts if 450 people gave money to DePaul in one day.
On Jan. 28, 672 members of the university community including alumni, staff and students responded to his challenge with contributions.
“Without the support of alumni, many students who would be the first in their families to go to college wouldn’t get that opportunity,” Cummins had said in 2016. “These students go on to become important contributors at DePaul, in their professional lives and Chicago community, enabling DePaul to remain a positive force in the community and improve its access to education to all who seek it.
“I made my first gift to DePaul while I was still a law student. Back then, my goal was to give back at least what I’d been given. DePaul offered me academic and athletic scholarships as an undergraduate, and I wanted to repay the opportunities.
“Since then, I’ve determined that giving back should not be seen as a one-time repayment, but as helping our university meet its annual need for support. I’m pleased to know that recently many alumni have supported DePaul during the Blue Demon Challenge. Making a matching gift is my way of encouraging even more fellow alumni to come together in support of our alma mater.”
Cummins’ passion for DePaul resonated throughout Cacciatore Stadium when a record-breaking number of men’s and women’s soccer alumni returned for a thrilling Sunday of their favorite collegiate sport on Sept. 11, 2011. The day was filled with memories of past glories and colorful stories from the nearly 50 alumni.
They were treated to a pair of dramatic overtime matches with the women defeating Minnesota 2-1 on freshman Sarah Gorden's golden goal in overtime while the men battled with No. 4 Creighton for 108 minutes before falling 1-0 in a double-overtime heartbreaker.
The biggest impact on the day wasn't reliving the past. Alumni Day 2011 will be remembered as a moment in time that brightened the future of DePaul men's soccer and continued the significant progress for the men’s program.
Behind the leadership of Cummins and a group of 10 men's soccer alumni, the first endowed scholarship for soccer was created. Cummins provided the lead gift for the creation of The Men's Soccer Alumni Endowed Scholarship
"I am passionate about DePaul soccer because of what it has meant to my personal development and the lifelong connections I have made," Cummins said in September of 2011. "Simply put, coming to DePaul and playing soccer has been the single most influential decision in my life. Leading the efforts to endow this scholarship is my way to continue to offer these life-changing opportunities to others and to push Blue Demon soccer forward."
Cummins had been a long-time champion of the soccer program after competing in the mid-1980s. On the pitch, he served as a Blue Demon team captain and left his mark with 23 career points which still ranks among the top scorers in program history.
He has served in numerous leadership roles on campus, initially as co-chair of the Athletics Advisory Council which he led with fellow letter-winner Scott Steffens under the leadership of Director of Athletics Jean Lenti Ponsetto. It was one of his greatest contributions.
The advisory council helped bring about the completion of the Sullivan-McGrath Campaign and impacted DePaul Athletics with its fundraising efforts. Cummins had also served as President of the Alumni Association for the university and chair of the Dean's Advisory Council for the College of Law among other leadership positions.
"Jack's leadership gift of $25,000 to provide the foundation for this scholarship shows another example of his inspirational leadership," Ponsetto said in 2011. "We are thrilled that his example has motivated his teammates and his fellow alumni to join the effort to enhance scholarships."
The fundraising efforts were part of an on-going initiative sparked by Cummins’ leadership. In recent years, DePaul men’s and women’s soccer have seen dramatic improvements on and off the field and in the classroom.
Under Ponsetto’s guidance, improvements included the creation of an all-purpose playing surface that is dedicated to soccer, expanding a coaching staff to feature two full-time assistants and ultimately the opening of Cacciatore Stadium and its 1,200 seating capacity.
Going into the 2012 season, the men’s program had recorded a BIG EAST conference divisional title, a pair of BIG EAST Championship semifinal appearances and the program's first NCAA tournament appearance in the past seven years.
Also in that time period, the program had its first NSCAA All-American (Brian Visser, first-team academic), had twice captured the BIG EAST Commissioner's honor rolls as the best academic program and earned its first preseason All-BIG EAST selection in Antonio Aguilar. The men's soccer team posted the third-highest team GPA in the country in 2010.
For all of the above and more, DePaul is forever grateful for the passionate support and generosity of Jack Cummins.
Visitation is 3-9 p.m. Friday at the Malone Funeral Home, 324 E. State St. in Geneva.
Mass is at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter Catholic Church, 1891 Kaneville Rd., Geneva.
