Supporters Like You
Read about supporters who are transforming students’ lives through Christ-centered learning.
Robert J. Lewis ’64
“When you put your ego in your pocket, you can relate to people and find out how they really feel about things,” Bob said. “At the end of the day, it’s really our character that counts. Grove City gave me the chance that I needed and put me on the path to where I am today.”
Read more of his story
In 2024, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bob Lewis ’64 was one of four accomplished Grove City College alumni to receive the Jack Kennedy Memorial Alumni Achievement Award, which has been awarded since 1964 to more than 200 deserving alumni who advance the college’s vision, mission, and values.
Bob is founder, chief executive officer, and owner of Orbital Engineering, Inc., which provides solutions in engineering and design, construction management, and safety for the utility and heavy industrial sectors. A former Alumni Council member, Bob recently built a collaboration between Orbital and the college that includes senior capstone design projects and a unique paid cooperative experience for engineering students involving real client projects.
Bob shared some insights that he learned from GCC that have helped him throughout his life.
“When you put your ego in your pocket, you can relate to people and find out how they really feel about things,” Bob said. “At the end of the day, it’s really our character that counts. Grove City gave me the chance that I needed and put me on the path to where I am today.”
You can hear more from Robert J. Lewis ’64 on the ‘Mid the Pines Podcast
Howard E. Winklevoss ’65
Grove City College took a chance on Howard E. Winklevoss ’65, and that decision set him on a path to remarkable success in business and technology.
Read more of his story
Grove City College gave Howard E. Winklevoss ’65 a shot. That was all the teenager from Mercer, Pa., needed to embark on a journey of success in the field of business technology. The journey came full circle in November when the College honored Winklevoss by adding his name to the College’s business school.
The newly minted Winklevoss School of Business is being supported in part by a $4 million Bitcoin gift from its namesake. It was the first digital currency donation in the College’s history.
During a ceremony celebrating the naming, Winklevoss shared his Grove City College story, which began 60 some years ago at Penn State, where Winklevoss intended to enroll after high school. His poor grades, largely due to him putting his time, effort, and ingenuity into restoring a 1932 Model A Ford instead of his studies, disqualified him.
“I said, ‘But I built a hot rod from the ground up.’ They said, ‘We don’t have a major in hot rods,’” Winklevoss said. Looking for an alternative, he turned to Grove City College, where he was accepted. “I said, ‘Have you looked at my transcript?’ They said, ‘Yeah, but you built a car…maybe you’ll build something else.’ And I did,” he said.
Being at Grove City College fostered Winklevoss’ entrepreneurial spirit. He was inspired by courses taught by Dr. Hans Sennholz, a leading voice for Austrian economics. “I fell in love with freedom, capitalism, and everything the Austrian school is about,” Winklevoss said. He worked to pay his way through school, turning a job selling pots and pans door-to-door into a mini cookware empire.
At Grove City College, he earned a degree in Accounting and met his wife Carol (Leonard ’65) before graduate school and a decade in academia that included teaching actuarial science at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. His groundbreaking book Pension Mathematics with Numerical Illustrations revolutionized the industry and led him to found multiple ventures, including Winklevoss Consultants and Winklevoss Technologies, which builds software for the actuarial consulting community. Winklevoss Technologies was acquired by Constellation Software for $125 million in 2023.
In recent years, Winklevoss has become a Bitcoin advocate. The digital currency is the answer, he said, to a longtime Austrian school problem: Money. Bitcoin, he said, is solid money that is independent of government. “It gives me great pleasure to donate the world’s soundest money to the school that first taught me about these concepts 60 years ago.”
Grove City College, he said, stands in contrast to other highed education institutions and is poised to play a significant role in the future. “We don’t have to make Grove City College great again. It already is,” Winklevoss said. “I think the world of this College. Not because of what it has done, but what it can do.”
Winklevoss’ twin sons, Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, spoke about their father’s affinity for the College and how the ideals and values learned ‘mid the pines shaped their family and their understanding of economics, which they both studied at Harvard. The twins, who founded the digital currency exchange Gemini, said their father’s story demonstrates the value that the College places on students as people, not just transcripts. ” Grove City College is a special place for individual learners. It is a bastion of independent thought,” Tyler Winklevoss said. “This school gave our father a shot,” Cameron Winklevoss said. “It saw something in our father.”
The Winklevoss School of Business offer 15 majors in Accounting and Finance, Management and Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and the College’s distinctive Austrian School Department of Economics, along with master’s degree programs including Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Accounting, Master of Science in Business Analytics, Master of Arts in Economics and more than 20 minors to augment undergraduate degrees.
Brandon ’96 and Shawna (Martin ’95) Haynes
Three generations of Grovers. “We just believe in the foundation of Grove City and what it stands for…its Biblical grounding and the way they raise up students to go out into the world and be a light for the Lord,” said Shawna.
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In the fall of 1967 when Rodney K. Haynes ’71 set foot on Grove City College’s campus for the first time, he would have had no way to know that he was beginning a three-generation family legacy at the College, or that a scholarship bearing his name would one day help pave the way for future generations of Grovers.
A Pan Sophic fraternity brother, Rod graduated in 1971 and eventually served for 35 years as a Spanish and driver’s education teacher in the Harbor Creek School District in Erie County, Pa. Rod was passionate about the Grove City College education he received and was particularly pleased when his son Brandon Haynes ’95 chose to follow in his footsteps to the Grove. Brandon ultimately met his wife Shawna (Martin ’95) Haynes here.
The Haynes family suffered a great loss in 2009 when Rod passed away far too young at age 60. Desiring a meaningful way to honor his memory, Brandon and Shawna chose to establish the Rod Haynes ’71 Family Memorial Scholarship at Grove City College to assist eduation majors from Erie County. In a way, the recipients of Rod’s scholarship are carrying on his legacy, too. He would be thrilled to know that his family is helping to make possibe for other students the same life-changing education about which he was so passionate.
In 2022, Brandon and Shawna’s daughter, Anna, also chose Grove City College and became the third generation of Rod’s family legacy at GCC. She is on track to graduate in May 2026 with a degree in Exercise Science, having taken many classes and labs in iconic Rockwell Hall. When Brandon and Shawna learned of the renovation and modernization of Rockwell Hall as part of the Impact 150 campaign, they decided that naming an Exercise Science lab on the ground floor and a classroom on the first floor of the new building would be the perfect way to honor their daughter and continue the family’s legacy of giving back.
“We believe in the foundation of Grove City College, in what it stands for, in the biblical grounding. It stands as a light for the Lord. The most important thing is a relationship with Him, and we just want to share the opportunity of a Christ-centered education with as many students as we can,” Shawna said.
Brandon, a managing partner of Allegheny Financial Group, Ltd., and Shawna, who retired from teaching and now works in the office at Eden Christian Academy, have made their home in the northern Pittsburgh area for over 25 years.
Brandon says, “We know first-hand that the mission of Grove City College results in lives being transformed. Developing future leaders for a world that desperately needs them, honoring my father’s legacy, and celebrating our daughter’s decision are all reasons we have made the College a priority in our philanthropic giving.”
One might say they’ve started a legacy all their own.
Janet (Owen ’63) Collier
Her gift serves as an inspiration for future generations of students who will seek to serve the greater good.
Read more of her story
During her first visit to see the completed project in 2022, she was welcomed by several education students and Dr. Connie Nichols ’93, Professor and Chair of the Department of Education, all of whom were eager to express their thanks to this fellow educator for the real impact her selfless gift is making in their lives.
An Elementary Education major, Janet returned to her hometown Youngstown, Ohio after graduation to impact the lives of countless students as a 7th grade Language Arts teacher. Her gift serves as an inspiration for future generations of students who will seek to serve the greater good.
Richard G. Staley ’62
Grove City College’s central academic building was rededicated on May 14, 2021 as the Staley Hall of Arts and Letters in honor of distinguished and generous alumnus Richard G. Staley ’62.
Read more of his story
The hall’s new namesake said he was humbled. “Growing up in the Allegheny Valley, I could never have dreamed of the impact this college would have on my life, nor that I would be successful enough to one day give back in this way,” Staley told a crowd of well-wishers at the dedication ceremony.
A native of Natrona Heights, Pa., Staley is the founder of Flavor House, Inc., a West Coast-based developer and manufacturer of unique flavors found in many popular products.
Last year he donated $4 million to Grove City College via appreciated stock and real estate – the largest unrestricted gift in the College’s history. Unrestricted gifts enhance the ability to manage both the challenges of today and the strategic opportunities of tomorrow, from scholarships to unanticipated expenses, such as those related to the pandemic. Additionally, making his gift via appreciated stock and real estate allowed Staley to avoid capital gains tax on these assets.
Staley is one of the College’s most generous supporters. Previous gifts in support of entrepreneurship and the sciences are recognized by a named laboratory in STEM Hall and the Richard G. Staley ’62 Visionary Entrepreneurship Lecture Series.
To recognize his willingness and ability to provide a strong financial foundation for the College’s future, the Board of Trustees approved renaming the Hall of Arts and Letters for Staley. Built in 2002, the hall is a classroom and academic office building on the east side of campus that serves as the home of the Alva J. Calderwood School of Arts and Letters.
“Buildings represent so much more than the bricks and mortar that they are,” Grove City College President Paul J. McNulty ’80 said. Staley Hall of Arts and Letters is the home of the College’s humanities core, a place where students from every major take classes in civilization, literature, and history and gain the knowledge to develop wisdom and a worldview. “A lot of lives have been transformed in classrooms in this building,” he said.
McNulty hailed Staley’s success and generosity. “He took the fruit of his great accomplishment and brought it back to his alma mater,” McNulty said.
“It brings me great joy to know that the principles of faith and freedom are being preserved in this building and that future teachers, ethical business leaders, innovative entrepreneurs, and more will continue to be equipped here for many years to come,” Staley said.
Jeff Yannuzzi ’79
Growing up, Jeff was the youngest of three children. His family used all of their savings in order to put them through college. During his senior year, Jeff still recalls his mom telling him that it was going to be difficult to pay for his last semester.
Read more of his story
When Jeff went back for final exams in December of his senior year, he found out that he had been awarded the John J. Havrilla Memorial Scholarship for accounting students. It left a very lasting impression on him. Jeff wants to give back to help students in need.
“Grove City is such an integral part of my life,” Jeff said. “I have so much to be grateful for, and I’m blessed to have a Grove City connection. That’s why I feel strongly about donating.”
“It brings me great joy to know that the principles of faith and freedom are being preserved in this building and that future teachers, ethical business leaders, innovative entrepreneurs, and more will continue to be equipped here for many years to come.”
-Richard G. Staley ’62, Grove City College Supporter
Don McConnaughy ’63
“There are lots of places to invest your resources these days, but I think it’s wise to consider a Charitable Gift Annuity. It’s the least I could do for all the difference Grove City College has made in my life.”
Read more of his story
From an early age, Don McConnaughy’s ’63 first love was emergency medical services. When the fire whistle blew, he would run down the alley to open the doors for the firemen. Don was driven to help others and continued to do so through his high school and college years.
He ended up at Grove City College in most part due to the fact that a distant relative was an alumnus and had returned as a professor of economics, Robert Anderson ’57. “Grove City College was my only choice, and I’m really glad it worked out,” said Don. And he found Grove City College to be supportive of his desire to serve others. “The College allowed the phone company to run a line with a bell into my room so I could be notified for medical service calls.”
Don has so many fond memories of campus and the people. It was relatively close to his home in Beaver, Pa., and he really liked the personal interaction as opposed to simply just being another number. After graduation, Don spent time in the accounting field with Owens-Illinois Inc. before taking a detour to end up as Chief of Emergency Medical Services for the City of Maumee, Ohio where he and his late wife lived.
These days Don relies on the GeDunk magazine to bring back good memories and give him a glimpse into how the College is changing. “There are a lot of uncertainties facing us today, and the fact that Grove City College does not accept any federal funding is a big reason why they are where they are today and why I continue to support the College,” said Don. He feels today’s graduates are prepared to navigate the world they will face.
When he was contacted by an Advancement Office staff member, Don was ready to become part of supporting the College and provide himself with monthly income. “There are lots of places to invest your resources these days, but I think it’s wise to consider a Charitable Gift Annuity. It’s the least I could do for all the difference Grove City College has made in my life.”
John Giesmann and Lois (Giesmann ’68) Strycula
“Christian faith was integral to their education, not just an after-thought or empty promotional rhetoric,” said John. “The College prepared our kids for great careers, and it also expanded their world, encouraged them to live lives of service to others and positioned them for the joy of a lifetime of learning.”
Read more of their story
Grove City College was a good neighbor to Carl and Mildred Giesmann. Having grown up just outside Grove City, Carl and Mildred raised two children here: John Giesmann and Lois (Giesmann ’68) Strycula. They operated Carl’s photography studio, located near the corner of Broad Street and College Avenue and lower campus, from 1963 until his retirement around 1980. Years later, Carl and Mildred decided to establish the Carl and Mildred Giesmann Scholarship Endowment at the College with a legacy gift through their estate.
Carl and Mildred were leaders in the Scotch Hill United Presbyterian Church just a few miles east of town.
Watching closely as the College fought against the intrusion of the federal government while remaining committed to the Christian faith of its founders, Carl and Mildred saw over time that the College was serious about providing an authentically Christian education for its students.
“It was through the cumulative daily actions over a long period of time that the College showed faithfulness to my parents,” said son John.
John, a Westminster College graduate who recently retired after a successful career as a higher education administrator, and his wife, Susan, fittingly have two children who both graduated from Grove City College, Matthew ’13 and Anna (Giesmann ’15) Li.
“My parents’ faith was always very important to them and Grove City demonstrated over time that Christian faith was integral to their education, not just an after-thought or empty promotional rhetoric,” said John. “The College prepared our kids for great careers, and it also expanded their world, encouraged them to live lives of service to others and positioned them for the joy of a lifetime of learning.”
Education was highly valued in Carl’s family growing up. After graduating from Grove City High School in 1933, Carl went to work at Cooper Bessemer to help provide for his family in the Great Depression after his mother had passed away. Mildred was able to earn a teaching certificate from Slippery Rock Normal School and later taught in a one-room schoolhouse within sight of her parents’ farmhouse. Years later, Carl had the opportunity to serve on the Grove City School Board.
“They felt, and I have always felt, that Grove City was a great place to live, to raise a family, to grow up,” said John. “The College was a significant part of that great community.”
Carl and Mildred Giesmann had a good neighbor in Grove City College and left a lasting legacy through their scholarship endowment. John and Susan, now the parents of Grove City College alumni, have chosen to continue this family legacy by contributing to the family’s Carl and Mildred Giesmann Scholarship Endowment.
“Even though we aren’t Grovers, we see the great value of a Grove City education in so many ways in our children and in our daughter-in-law, Amber (Durkee ’13),” said John. “Susan and I are thrilled that Matthew and Anna chose Grove City, and we’re pleased that my parents chose this way to support the College.”
“There are a lot of uncertainties facing us today, and the fact that Grove City College does not accept any federal funding is a big reason why they are where they are today and why I continue to support the College.”
-Don McConnaughy ’63, Grove City College Supporter
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