Featured Donor
John Butch (R) and his wife Beverly (L)
John & Beverly Butch
Second Chances: John Butch and his wife Beverly believe in second chances. John, himself, is living proof of what a second chance can do for someone. During his first years at Slippery Rock University, he struggled, eventually leaving SRU with a less than acceptable GPA. He was drafted into the US Army and served in Vietnam. After returning home as a veteran, John was given a much appreciated “second chance” by Al Schmittlein, a Vice President of the University, to continue his education at The Rock.
Upon graduation, John was hired by the SRU Computer Center as a Systems Analyst and earned an MBA from Youngstown State University. He then went on to a long career in Information Technology.
Because someone gave him second chance, John and his wife Beverly, who is also an SRU grad, are passionate about doing the same for others, especially for veterans returning to finish their careers at SRU. For this reason, in 2018, John and Beverly created the Veteran Readmit “Second Chance” Scholarship. This scholarship is for an Honorably Discharged US Military Veteran who has been readmitted to SRU after military service.
John and Beverly love that their donation is directly impacting a student. “Another student, in a similar situation to me, will get their second chance to go onward to greater levels of achievement in their life and their career,” said John. “Without that second chance to get my degree, I would not have accomplished what I have done in my career.”
Beverly and John were both freshmen at SRU in 1966, but began dating in 1969 when they met in Pittsburgh while John was attending computer school and Beverly was student teaching. The couple now looks forward to hearing new stories of second chances from the students awarded this scholarship, maybe stories not too different from their own.
Second Chances: John Butch and his wife Beverly believe in second chances. John, himself, is living proof of what a second chance can do for someone. During his first years at Slippery Rock University, he struggled, eventually leaving SRU with a less than acceptable GPA. He was drafted into the US Army and served in Vietnam. After returning home as a veteran, John was given a much appreciated “second chance” by Al Schmittlein, a Vice President of the University, to continue his education at The Rock.
Upon graduation, John was hired by the SRU Computer Center as a Systems Analyst and earned an MBA from Youngstown State University. He then went on to a long career in Information Technology.
Because someone gave him second chance, John and his wife Beverly, who is also an SRU grad, are passionate about doing the same for others, especially for veterans returning to finish their careers at SRU. For this reason, in 2018, John and Beverly created the Veteran Readmit “Second Chance” Scholarship. This scholarship is for an Honorably Discharged US Military Veteran who has been readmitted to SRU after military service.
John and Beverly love that their donation is directly impacting a student. “Another student, in a similar situation to me, will get their second chance to go onward to greater levels of achievement in their life and their career,” said John. “Without that second chance to get my degree, I would not have accomplished what I have done in my career.”
Beverly and John were both freshmen at SRU in 1966, but began dating in 1969 when they met in Pittsburgh while John was attending computer school and Beverly was student teaching. The couple now looks forward to hearing new stories of second chances from the students awarded this scholarship, maybe stories not too different from their own.
Featured Scholarships
Leo Shapiro (L) and Charlotte (R), his wife
Leo I. Shapiro Memorial Scholarship
Leo I. Shapiro was a noted attorney in Pittsburgh who earned his undergraduate degree at The University of Pittsburgh and attained his law degree from Harvard School of Law. He was an authority on Labor law and served for many years as General Counsel for the Allegheny County Labor Council. Additionally, he was appointed Assistant Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh and a Deputy Attorney for the State Labor Relations Board. He served as legal counsel and arbitrator for many Western Pennsylvania Labor Unions and was active with the State Minimum Wage Board
Mr. Shapiro strongly espoused equal higher education for women as well as men. One of his proudest achievements was that, in the nineteen fifties, he was able to educate all three of his daughters to degrees beyond baccalaureate.
After passing, and because he believed that lifelong education was achieved through reading and travel and academic pursuits, his wife, Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro, established the Leo I. Shapiro Lecture Series. This program was designed for undergraduate liberal arts students. The Series evolved into a scholarship to recognize an outstanding student in the field of History or Political Science to perpetuate Leo Shapiro’s zeal and enthusiasm for higher education and advanced learning.
Leo I. Shapiro was a noted attorney in Pittsburgh who earned his undergraduate degree at The University of Pittsburgh and attained his law degree from Harvard School of Law. He was an authority on Labor law and served for many years as General Counsel for the Allegheny County Labor Council. Additionally, he was appointed Assistant Solicitor for the City of Pittsburgh and a Deputy Attorney for the State Labor Relations Board. He served as legal counsel and arbitrator for many Western Pennsylvania Labor Unions and was active with the State Minimum Wage Board
Mr. Shapiro strongly espoused equal higher education for women as well as men. One of his proudest achievements was that, in the nineteen fifties, he was able to educate all three of his daughters to degrees beyond baccalaureate.
After passing, and because he believed that lifelong education was achieved through reading and travel and academic pursuits, his wife, Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro, established the Leo I. Shapiro Lecture Series. This program was designed for undergraduate liberal arts students. The Series evolved into a scholarship to recognize an outstanding student in the field of History or Political Science to perpetuate Leo Shapiro’s zeal and enthusiasm for higher education and advanced learning.
Charlotte Shapiro
Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro Endowed Scholarship
Charlotte H. Shapiro was a genuinely dedicated educator who recognized Slippery Rock University’s mission and vision for the future. She was proud to have played a role in its rise to prominence among national liberal arts universities.
Her role in SRU’s rise to prominence began when she was appointed to Slippery Rock University’s (then Slippery Rock College) Council of Trustees by Governor Milton Shapp in 1975. Her admiration and respect for the University prompted her to establish first, a memorial scholarship for her husband Leo Shapiro and then later, the Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro Endowed Scholarship. Since her passing in 2004, her daughters honor their mother through additional contributions to this scholarship.
Throughout her life, Dr. Shapiro demonstrated a long standing involvement and commitment to education. She began her professional career with an A.B. from the University of Pittsburgh as a family case worker and supervisor for the Department of Public Assistance during the Depression. She later completed her M.A. and Ph.D. which led to positions as school psychologist and later, principal, with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She was also a demonstration teacher with the University of Pittsburgh.
Charlotte H. Shapiro was a genuinely dedicated educator who recognized Slippery Rock University’s mission and vision for the future. She was proud to have played a role in its rise to prominence among national liberal arts universities.
Her role in SRU’s rise to prominence began when she was appointed to Slippery Rock University’s (then Slippery Rock College) Council of Trustees by Governor Milton Shapp in 1975. Her admiration and respect for the University prompted her to establish first, a memorial scholarship for her husband Leo Shapiro and then later, the Dr. Charlotte H. Shapiro Endowed Scholarship. Since her passing in 2004, her daughters honor their mother through additional contributions to this scholarship.
Throughout her life, Dr. Shapiro demonstrated a long standing involvement and commitment to education. She began her professional career with an A.B. from the University of Pittsburgh as a family case worker and supervisor for the Department of Public Assistance during the Depression. She later completed her M.A. and Ph.D. which led to positions as school psychologist and later, principal, with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. She was also a demonstration teacher with the University of Pittsburgh.