Why Marist? Bartucca Family Scholarship

Peter and Bobbie Bartucca visited the Marist campus in Florence, Italy, in 2021.

By Peter Bartucca ’71

When I arrived at Marist in September 1968, I was an ordinary confused 19-year-old wondering about the course of my life. I had transferred from a university where I had simply not found my way. It was a time of unrest. It seemed every trusted value now had to be questioned. I was looking for something but had no idea what that something was.

At Marist I found a refuge during unsettled times. The ease with which I was able to interact with other students and the faculty was an opening to a new and exciting world. It was supportive and nurturing. Most important, it was there that I learned how to learn. Colleges and universities do not turn out finished products. They can only hope their graduates possess the desire to grow. That was the priceless gift that Marist gave to me. I will be forever grateful.

My wife, Bobbie, and I created our scholarship fund to help talented students receive that sort of education, an education that opens the door to opportunities that might otherwise be unattainable, an education that instills in them a love of learning.

When we received notification that the inaugural recipient had been named together with a brief biography and a photograph, we became unexpectedly emotional. Creating the scholarship has enriched our lives, and our sincere hope is that it will also enrich the lives of many more students in the years to come.