Board of Directors

The Most Rev. John O. Barres, S.T.D., J.C.L., D.D., Bishop of Allentown, center, attends the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation (EPSF) Sept. 29, 2009 at St. Mary, Kutztown with, from left: front, William E. Kirwan, Robert L. Buck, Paul Huck Sr.; back, Barbara Ann Shotwell, Bernette Wrobel, Philip J. Fromuth, James S. Friend Jr. the Rev. Msgr. John J. Chizmar. (Photos by Richard J. Patrick)

(Not pictured: Board members Tina Livengood Slane, Anthony Salvaggio and Joseph Svetik.)

This is a reprint of the October 15, 2009 article in the AD Times:

The work of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Pennsylvania Scholarship Foundation (EPSF) in helping Catholic education is an “expression of the church’s mission,” the Most Rev. John O. Barres, S.T.D., J.C.L., D.D., Bishop of Allentown, said in offering opening prayer of a meeting of the board Sept. 29 at St. Mary, Kutztown.

Bishop Barres prayed their work “flourish, grow and be strengthened,” and “may the Gospel and light of Christ be spread through your efforts.”

“Thank you for your efforts on behalf of Catholic education,” Bishop Barres told members, voicing gratitude for their strong commitment to Catholic education and noting he knew for many there are personal ties to that commitment from their own experience with Catholic education. “I’m grateful to all of you. There’s obviously a lot of expertise and generosity in this room,” Bishop Barres said during the evening session, the first time he met with the board. The meeting was open to the public.

EPSF directs contributions from businesses that participate in Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program to qualifying families in Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton and Schuylkill counties. The EITC program provides tax credits to businesses for contributions to approved scholarship organizations, educational improvement organizations and prekindergarten scholarship organizations.
Board members are Chairman Paul Huck Sr., vice president and chief financial officer, Air Products and Chemicals Co., Allentown; William E. Kirwan, Esq., managing director, St. Clair and Associates, P.C., Pottsville; Anthony Salvaggio, president, Computer Aid, Inc., Allentown; Philip J. Fromuth, M.Ed., diocesan secretary for Catholic education; Vice Chairman Robert L. Buck, CPA, preferred shareholder, Buckno Lisicky and Co., Allentown.

Also: the Rev. Msgr. John G. Chizmar, V.F., pastor of St. Peter the Fisherman, Lake Harmony and vicar forane of the Carbon Deanery; James S. Friend Jr., director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development; Tina Livengood Slane, controller, Livengood Excavators, Inc., Walnutport; Joseph T. Svetik, president/CEO, First Star Saving Bank, Bethlehem; Bernette Wrobel, president, Pagoda Electrical, Inc., Reading.

The meeting was preceded by a light dinner, hosted by the Rev. Msgr. Walter T. Scheaffer, pastor of St. Mary and former diocesan vicar for education. During the dinner Barbara Ann Shotwell, assistant director of the Office of Stewardship and Development, Planned Giving, Stewardship and EPSF, shared with Bishop Barres and board members a sampling of the many thank-you letters received from grateful students and their families for the help provided by EPSF. Several board members were keen to share their reflections and insights concerning EPSF, including Kirwan, who was propelled to serve on the board through his personal ties to Catholic education. Huck attended the former St. Patrick School and Nativity BVM High School, Pottsville, and his children have reaped the benefits of Catholic education as well.

“I have a firm belief in the important mission of educating children in Catholic schools,” Kirwan said, noting EPSF provides “a great opportunity to help those who can’t afford it.”

Kirwan noted for the past few years EPSF has hosted a reception to thank donors, during which people who have received scholarships talk about their experiences and the value of the scholarships.
“Hearing them share their stories – that’s a great reward for me,” Kirwan said. Kirwan sees the greatest challenge in Catholic education – especially in Schuylkill County, the region where he lives – as the problem of commitment to schools.

“We need the church and the diocese to help promote the value and worth of Catholic education to parents and students,” he said, adding financial challenges and other reasons may keep the students from enrolling.
Kirwan’s vision for EPSF? “I hope to continue the success we’ve had and raise even more money, which will benefit more students.”

Fromuth, former principal of Holy Guardian Angels School, Reading, thinks serving on the board “provides a wonderful opportunity to coordinate EITC initiatives across the diocese. I can see what works and encourage all schools to become involved.”

“What’s satisfying is I know the needs of 2,100 students are being met. EPSF is providing the gift of Catholic education to 2,100 students who would be challenged to attend Catholic schools without its support,” Fromuth said, noting 2,100 of the 13,200 diocesan students receive help from the program.
“It impacts their lives now and their future lives.”

Funding and enrollment are the dual biggest challenges to Catholic education, according to Fromuth.
“Catholic schools are needed as much as they’ve ever been needed. This program and others provide for the future, to provide Catholic education.”

Fromuth hopes that each year in the future more individuals and companies become interested in participating and understand the program. He also voiced hope the Pennsylvania legislature continues to fund EITC, so “Catholic education can be affordable and available to students.”

Huck serves on the board because “Catholic education plays a very important role in the Church and the community.”

EPSF provides an opportunity to parents to have their children educated in Catholic schools who may not be able to afford to do so otherwise, Huck said. Serving on the board provides this opportunity for people who may not be able to enroll their children in Catholic schools.

“I am a product of Catholic education, and I know there is a lot of sacrifice on the part of the parents.” Huck said. There is a groundwork in Catholic schools, and EPSF provides an option to people to be able to “see their children raised how they’d like them to be raised.”

Huck derives satisfaction from reading thank-you notes like the ones Shotwell shared that evening. “You know how much the contributions help the future of Catholic education” in continuing to provide money.
Huck views funding as the greatest challenging confronting Catholic education. “Education and technology are expensive. The cost of providing a good education goes up,” Huck said.

“We want to help schools be vibrant, to function well and be well-funded.” Lots of support enables more people to afford Catholic schools, and the scholarships serve this purpose, Huck said.

In the future Huck hopes EPSF helps to keep schools full and help as many as possible have the benefit of a Catholic education. “I would like everyone to have a Catholic education who wants one. That’s the most obvious and best goal we have.”

Buck was spurred to serve on the board because he is a product of Catholic education and has two sons – in fourth and sixth grades, respectively – enrolled at St. Thomas More School, Allentown.

“It’s important in my life and in my family’s life,” Buck explained, adding all five of his brothers and sisters attended Catholic schools through high school, as did his parents.

“It’s ingrained in us – it’s tradition,” Buck said. “I’d hate to see people not have the same opportunity.”
Buck appreciates seeing how good business owners feel when they give to EPSF. “Many of them also went to Catholic schools, and they like helping children have that opportunity and the satisfaction that gives them.
“They are the ones giving the money that make this happen, and it feels good to them,” Buck said.
The challenge, Buck said, is keeping Catholic schools affordable for families. These families support public education through real estate taxes, as well as Catholic schools, and often struggle with affording Catholic school tuition.

“I want to keep Catholic education affordable for families,” Buck said, stressing, “Make it a real option, not just a wish or hope. Keep the cost reasonable.”

Buck expressed his strong desire that the state keeps the EITC program going in the future.
Buck gave kudos to the participating businesses, for without them the program would not be viable.
Friend advocated encouraging schools to participate in the Advancement Model for Catholic Education put forth by the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference to buoy their financial needs.