November 19, 2020
St. John’s University is pleased to announce a major philanthropic commitment from Trustee Emeritus Joseph H. Schwartz ’70C, ’72MBA, ’09HON and his wife, Maria, to establish the Joseph H. and Maria C. Schwartz Presidential Scholars Endowed Scholarship Fund. The commitment will help to support the best and brightest students in The Peter J. Tobin College of Business who will be given first preference in receiving scholarships from this endowed fund.
“Time and time again, Joe and Maria Schwartz have generously supported St. John’s and demonstrated their commitment to help promising students achieve success,” stated Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., President.
“Our University is a grateful beneficiary of their continued philanthropy and their rich legacy of service.”
“Maria and I believe that industrious students who demonstrate strong potential should be supported and encouraged. We hope that this scholarship fund will contribute towards the continued growth and improvement of the academic standing of St. John’s—a place that remains dear to us 50 years after I graduated,” remarked Mr. Schwartz.
The first generation of his family to attend college, Mr. Schwartz majored in economics, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1970 and an M.B.A. in 1972. He enjoyed a successful and rewarding career at Wellington Management Company LLP, from which he retired as a partner. Mr. Schwartz has been a member of the St. John’s Board of Governors and the University’s Board of Trustees, where he chaired the Investment Committee and the Finance Committee, while also serving on the Executive, Institutional Advancement, and Audit and Compensation Committees.
Mrs. Schwartz, an alumna of Providence College, has stayed connected to her alma mater and has established the Providence College Women’s Scholarship Fund. Best friends and close confidantes, the couple remain devoted to each other and to their children and grandchildren. As their lives have been blessed, so too have they blessed the lives of others by supporting a variety of charitable endeavors—most especially the promise of educational opportunity.
From their home in Massachusetts, Mr. and Mrs. Schwartz support the San Miguel School, a middle school for boys from underserved populations in Providence, RI. At St. John’s, they are members of The Loughlin Society, The Founders Society, and The McCallen Society, and they endowed the Joseph H. and Maria C. Schwartz Distinguished Chair, which is now held by Norean R. Sharpe, Ph.D., Dean and Professor of Decision Sciences at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. For their wide-ranging professional and personal accomplishments, they were honored with the Spirit of Service Award at the 2008 President’s Dinner.
For more information about supporting scholarships at St. John’s, please contact Christian P. Vaupel, Ed.D., Vice President for Advancement and University Relations, at [email protected]; 718-990-2781.