A recent gift from the estate of Bernard Grochmal Jr. ’64 signals how important the lifelong friendship between Grochmal and Peter T. Paul ’67 was to both men. The $2.87 million bequest also helps ensure that UNH’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics will provide — in perpetuity — an exceptional experience for exceptional students.
Through the newly established Bernard Grochmal Jr. ’64 Scholarship Fund, students admitted to the Paul Scholars Program will receive a scholarship of $5,000 each year for up to four years, on top of UNH merit scholarship awards at the Presidential or Dean levels, and will be designated as Bernard Grochmal Jr. Scholars.
Initially funded by a $5 million gift from Peter T. Paul ’67, the Paul Scholars Program supports and recognizes the most academically promising students who plan to major in business, economics or hospitality management. In addition to the scholarship, the program offers unique academic courses and experiential learning, mentorship and professional development opportunities.
Now in its third year, the program has made a significant impact on the lives of students and the college, which was recently recognized as one of the nation’s best undergraduate business schools by the influential publication Poets&Quants.
“Being a Paul Scholar has been the defining experience of my time at UNH,” says Parker Armstrong ’20, a member of the program’s first cohort, who has been able to study in Washington, D.C., and London, England.
Isabella Ronson ’21 says the program has been pivotal academically, professionally and socially: “I had support whenever needed, and the mentorship program has connected me with industry leaders who are helping me reach my professional goals.”
The Bernard Grochmal Jr. ’64 Scholarship Fund is the lead gift in a new effort to endow the Paul Scholars Program at the $10 million level through named scholarship funds of $1 million or more. “This gift enables us to continue to attract high-quality, engaged students from New Hampshire while at the same time making the Paul College experience more affordable and accessible,” notes Deborah Merrill-Sands, dean of the college. When fully endowed, the Paul Scholars Program will support 40 to 50 exceptional incoming students each year.
Founder Peter Paul is inspired by the 115 Paul Scholars currently thriving in the program. “I am looking forward to seeing what those who are supported by the Grochmal Scholarship and other future named scholarships will accomplish at Paul College and beyond,” he says.
To learn how you can support the Paul Scholars Program, contact Jennifer Lowrey, managing director of development, at (603) 862-4179 or jennifer.lowrey@unh.edu.
