When Cemil Ahmet Demil RA 68 and his wife, Maggie, decided to include Robert College in their estate plans, they were thinking not only about the future, but also about the past—about the people whose love, encouragement, and sacrifices shaped the life they have built together.
The couple chose to establish the Dr. Cevat Demil Family Scholarship Fund, named in memory of Cemil’s parents, Dr. Cevat and Nevvare Demil. Through this scholarship fund, their names will continue to support generations of Robert College students long into the future.
Born in İstanbul, Cemil attended the English High School for Boys before transferring to Robert Academy, graduating in 1968. He continued his studies in Civil Engineering at Robert College and went on to build a distinguished career as a structural engineer in both Türkiye and the United States, eventually founding his own engineering firm in California before retiring in 2025. Looking back, he credits Robert College with providing an education that shaped both his personal and professional life.
“I have always had very fond memories of my years in Robert Academy and Robert College,” he says. “The education I received greatly helped me succeed in life.”
For Cemil and Maggie, establishing the scholarship fund became a natural way to express that gratitude while honoring the memory of Cemil’s parents. They wanted their family’s story to live on by creating opportunities for young people whose lives, like Cemil’s many years ago, could be transformed through education.
By honoring his parents through education, Cemil and Maggie have ensured that their family’s story will continue to inspire future generations of Robert College students for years to come.
