Nolan Patrick Rohan ’03 Memorial Scholarship

Nolan Patrick Rohan was a native New Yorker who lived in Miami and worked as a Dealer Technical Specialist for Nissan North America. He was known for his bright and welcoming smile, his vibrant personality, and his love for cars, boats, planes and motorcycles.

A Passion is Born

Nolan was born in Oceanside, New York, on August 11, 1980, the son of Russell and Linda Rohan. He grew up on Long Island with his three siblings, Russell Jr., Lynette and Jason.

At a very young age, he developed a passion for cars, boats, motorcycles and airplanes. He was known for taking things apart to see how they worked, building creative contraptions for his sister’s Barbie dolls, and as he got older, buying used cars to fix them up and sell them. He also earned his private pilot’s license and flew Cessna 152s.

As a teen, Nolan was diagnosed with testicular cancer and underwent several challenging surgeries that resulted in complications. After months of treatment and recuperation, he and his family were thrilled when he was declared to be in remission.

Nolan decided to pursue his loved for cars and become a mechanic. He graduated from Suffolk Community College in 2003 aspiring to become an automotive engineer.

Life in Miami

In 2000, Nolan met his future wife, Kathleen Fordyce. The couple married in New York in 2005 and began their lives together in Miami, where Nolan fell in love with the warm weather, boating community and beautiful South Florida waterways. He was immediately on the lookout for a new boat, began traveling whenever possible with his wife and friends, and became a certified diver so he could explore the underwater world in the Florida Keys.

In South Florida, Nolan met a wonderful group of lifelong friends while working at South Motors Nissan dealership. He quickly earned a reputation as a hard worker and someone who could detect problems just by listening to descriptions from car owners. He also caught the eye of and befriended two specialists from Nissan North America, Nissan’s corporate offices, who often visited the dealership.

Nolan soon set his eyes on career opportunities at Nissan corporate. Despite the challenges, he earned the support of his dealership owners and soon became a Dealer Technical Specialist for Nissan. He felt as if he had finally found the career path that combined all his talents and interests.

Nolan’s proudest moment came on January 14, 2008, with the birth of his son, Logan Patrick Rohan. Three months after becoming a father, Nolan discovered his cancer had returned.

Throughout his battle with cancer, Nolan continued to live his life to the fullest possible. In between treatments in South Florida and Texas, he continued to indulge in his passions – buying a boat and a Harley Davidson motorcycle. He could be found playing on the floor with his son, boating with his friends and family, and even took a lifelong trip riding his Harley from Miami down to Key West with his brother and father.

Gone But Never Forgotten

Nolan died at the age of 29 after an 18-month battle with cancer. While he is missed everyday by his friends and family, his spirit lives on in his son and all those who remember his bright smile and spirit.

A scholarship in his name is awarded to students in the Automotive Technology program to encourage and support others with a passion for living life to the fullest and for all types of motor vehicles