Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaeffer
Robert Marlin Shaeffer attended Shippensburg State Teachers College twice. The first time was in 1950, but it only lasted a few hours before he decided to join the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. After a stint in Harrisburg, he was transferred from the PA Air National Guard to the Labor Department in New Cumberland.
His return to Shippensburg in 1951 was one of the best decisions Bob ever made. At a crossroads in his life, he was looking for direction. "I think Ship literally saved my life," Bob reflects. “I have no idea what I would have done otherwise and I would not have met my wonderful wife, Sandy." After graduating with a B.S. in Education in 1955, Bob taught high school briefly before working for Prudential Life Insurance. He then became a sales representative for Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group covering Pennsylvania and most of New York State. This 35-year career provided opportunities to meet and work with celebrities such as Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Bob Hope, and Jackie Kennedy.
Bob met Sandy while he was keeping score at a basketball game. It was love at first sight. Sandy was training to become a nurse, but she gave that up to marry Bob five months later and follow him to New York City. Sandy subsequently had a successful and enjoyable career working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Shaeffers have been generous supporters of Shippensburg University through their gifts to the SU Foundation. The Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Shaeffer Scholarship is another example of Bob's indebtedness to the University which helped shape his life. Their hope is that the scholarship will help students benefit from a well-rounded education and provide opportunities that will transform their lives.
Scholarships associated with Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaeffer