Extending Their Values for Education

Paul R. Johnson '67 has made a living as a CPA, business consultant, and trustee and principal at Johnson O'Connor Feron & Carucci LLP. Yet he and his wife, Christine, have structured their lives around serving the community, including creating opportunities for Hartwick College students.

Paul and Christine have very active roles in their children's school and afterschool programs, including coaching. But the Johnsons' positive impact on students extends far beyond their immediate family.

They welcomed youths into their home as a host family for A Better Chance Masconomet, Inc. For the last 12 years, Paul has served as the sole trustee for the Strazzula Foundation, which provides about 20 grants per year for the educational support of inner-city youths. His foundation also provides summer enrichment programs and annual grants to organizations working to build and revitalize neighborhoods into healthy, happy places to raise families.

Providing Opportunity for Those Most in Need

The Johnsons understand that college acts as the final stage of training for many young people before they begin making their own lives, and they appreciate the special role Hartwick College played in their own success.

"Hartwick College gave Christine and me an enriched educational experience," Paul says. "The liberal arts curriculum provided me an opportunity to not only develop a specialized skill set in business administration, accounting and economics, but also to explore my various interests."

As a way to ensure future generations can benefit from the Hartwick Experience, Paul and Christine have made an unrestricted bequest from their will to the College.

"We want to help preserve Hartwick as a unique institution of higher learning," says Paul, who is also a Hartwick Trustee. "With our help, a Hartwick education can remain within the grasp of every individual who seeks to learn its lessons."

Getting Started

To find out how you can support future Hartwick students through your planned gift, contact Patricia Dopazo at 607-431-4020 or dopazop@hartwick.edu.