Gary and Mary Jo Grove
In the fall of 1966, a local boy from Chambersburg, Gary Grove, met a girl from the small town of Willow Street, Mary Jo Kreider, at Shippensburg State College while he was studying Biology and she was majoring in Mathematics. They married the day Mary Jo graduated, with no resources but a great education. The Groves are convinced their professional success over the years stemmed from their Shippensburg education. “Ship made me the person I am today,” Gary remarks. “In almost everything I’ve done I can see where Ship gave me that foundation that allowed me to be very successful.”
After starting their careers, raising a family, and establishing their company cyberDERM, Gary and Mary Jo re-engaged with the University in a number of volunteer leadership positions. In 2010, they agreed to serve as the National Co-Chairs of Charting the Course, Lighting the Way – the Campaign for Shippensburg University. When asked why they accepted this role, Mary Jo says, “We wanted to give back. We feel that Shippensburg is part of our family. We’re all family and we want to help them in any way we can.”
Over the years, Gary and Mary Jo Grove have served the University and the SU Foundation in many other ways, including membership on the University’s College of Arts & Sciences Advisory Board since 2002, National Annual Fund Co-Chairs from 2007 to 2009, and Thankathon Volunteers and Philadelphia Region Co-Chairs from 2008 through 2018. In addition, Mary Jo served as the Alumni Board President from 1998 to 1999, and since 2001, has served on the Shippensburg University Foundation Board of Directors. The Groves were also the lead donors for the renovation of Stewart Hall.
Mary Jo and Gary Grove understand the importance of STEM majors and established this scholarship so future Ship students may enjoy the same opportunities and meaningful experiences they had as students.
Scholarships associated with Gary and Mary Jo Grove