Darrell ’72, SM ’74, and Beth Rigel

Throughout the course of his career as a dermatologist and clinical professor—including 19 seasons and counting as team dermatologist for the New York Yankees—Darrell Rigel has kept close ties with his alma mater. In 2011, he and his spouse, Beth, established the endowed Rigel Family Fund, which supports scholarships and fellowships at MI. he fund truly is a family affair: their children, Adam ’08 (left), Ashlee ’10, and Ethan ’06, are also contributors.

How MIT shaped their lives. “MIT gave me the tools to succeed in my career, and I couldn’t have attended if I hadn’t been offered a full scholarship,” Darrell says. “So many doors have opened to me because of MIT.” Beth notes how important MIT has been to the lives of their children as well. “MIT is a unique, special place and has so many initiatives to help move everyone forward,” she says.

Giving as a family. “We wanted to create an endowed fund so it can keep building,” Darrell explains. “It’s something we can each contribute to as a family, which is very important to us. Our goal is to help other students have the same opportunities for their lives and careers.”

Solutions for a better world. “When we receive letters from scholarship and fellowship recipients, it’s amazing to see what they’ve already accomplished,” says Darrell, who adds that the problem-solving skills he sharpened at MIT have served him well throughout his own life. “Just look at what graduates have achieved over the years—when you give smart people a chance to grow, develop, and invent new things, they can truly make a difference for the future.”

Help MIT build a better world.
For more information, contact David Woodruff:
617.253.3990; daw@mit.edu.
Or visit giving.mit.edu.