Founders Wall, located in the heart of Albright College’s campus, honors alumni and friends whose philanthropic support of the college reaches or exceeds $1 million. Its engravings are permanent expressions of gratitude to visionaries who have strengthened Albright’s foundation and future through exemplary leadership and service.
One of the youngest alumni couples to be honored on Founders Wall, Robin (Feldman) Curtin ’93 and Terrence Curtin ’90, of Berwyn, Pa., met while at Albright and have been loyal benefactors for more than 20 years. They have provided one of the lead gifts for the college’s Student Success Commons and Library, naming the Curtin Family Conference Center and the Curtin Family Plaza in memory of their son, Max.
To support the accessibility of Albright’s education to today’s students, the Curtins have also established two scholarships in honor of their parents — the J. Lawrence and Lynn Curtin Scholarship and the Dr. and Mrs. Gerald B. Feldman Scholarship.
In addition to their philanthropy, Terrence, CEO of TE Connectivity, served on Albright’s Board of Trustees from 2011 to 2019 and was vice chair of the Investment Subcommittee and Finance Committee and a member of the Academic Affairs Committee. Robin served as a member of the Albright College Alumni Association Board from 2005 to 2008.
Growing up next to campus, Christ Kraras ’69 began walking the college grounds well before meeting most of his Albright classmates and professors. He and his wife, Ann Kraras, of Reading, Pa., have remained ever faithful, ever since Christ graduated from Albright in 1969.
In 2005, Albright bestowed the college’s highest honor, the Jacob Albright Award, on Christ, for making outstanding contributions to the Albright community, his profession and in service to society.
The Kraras’ generosity has been widespread across campus and includes supporting the college endowment and capital, and immediate need projects that include the Science Center, Kelchner Field, the Bollman Center and Founders Walkway. Today, “Kraras Commons” is located along Founders Walkway in the center of campus.
The Kraras and Radwanski Advancing Lives Endowed Scholarship provides support to Albright sophomore, junior and seniors with financial need, and the Kraras’ have contributed to the Ellen S. Hurwitz Presidential Lecture Series Endowed Fund, as well as The Fund for Albright.
President and CEO of White Star Tours, Christ’s extensive list of volunteerism on behalf of the college is as long as his philanthropic list. He was a member of the college’s Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2017, where he contributed to the Executive; Academic Affairs; Advancement; and Property, Land and Equipment committees, and he was one of several trustees who established the Friends of Albright corporation partnership that purchased the Camp Building on 12th and Bern Streets for college use. Christ also chaired the executive committee for the “That Their Light May Shine” campaign, led a task force on student life and was chair of his 50th Reunion planning committee.
Jean and Jeffrey ’73 Griffiths, of Landsdale, Pa., have provided educational opportunities for Albright students for more than three decades — supporting capital projects, current operations and the college’s endowment. As leadership donors to Albright’s new Student Success Commons and Library, they have named the Griffiths History and Cultural Center, home of Albright’s special collections that will include the college’s historical archives, the Nolan local history collection, the Lakin Holocaust Resource Center and the Black Cultural Collection and Resource Center.
In honor of their son, Justin, the Griffiths have also established the Justin W. Griffiths Memorial Scholarship to provide Advancing Lives funds to help Albright sophomore, juniors and seniors with financial need.
Retiring as President and CEO of Lumber Liquidators in 2011, Jeffrey has remained an Albright College trustee since 2003 — providing invaluable leadership as vice chair of the Executive Committee and the Investment Subcommittee, and as chair of the Advancement and Communications Committee. He has also served on the Trusteeship and Governance Committee, the Enrollment Management Committee and on the executive committee for the “That Their Light May Shine” campaign, which raised over $58 million in support of Albright College.
Honored posthumously, Stephen Menyhart ’61 grew up in Hungary and escaped to the U.S. in 1956 when the Russian military invaded his country. Having fled with just the shirt on his back, speaking no English, and without any family, Stephen initially relied on the generosity of others and worked a series of odd jobs before finding his way to Albright.
After graduating from Albright, Menyhart had to withdraw from dental school at the University of Pennsylvania for financial reasons. Being proud, he did not want to ask the people who previously helped him for support, so he moved to San Francisco where he attended San Francisco State University and worked as a waiter at Fisherman’s Wharf and in fine restaurants in Palo Alto. His work ethic, drive and smart decision-making allowed him to purchase his first and subsequent investment properties. During most of his life, he lived in San Jose working for Santa Clara County as a civil engineer in materials and transforming rental properties on the side.
Deeply grateful for his time at Albright and the kindness and help that he received from many while an undergraduate, Menyhart decided that his legacy would be creating a bequest gift to establish a scholarship for students who needed financial assistance to complete their degree. To repay the help he received as an undergraduate student, he identified Albright College as the recipient of his estate. He passed away in 2017
Since the endowed fund’s inception, 16 students have received the Stephen E. Menyhart Endowed Scholarship. This was the first gift establishing the Advancing Lives Scholarship Initiative, which supports the financial needs of Albright sophomore, junior and seniors. To date the Advancing Lives Scholarship has raised more than $5.8 million toward a $10M goal.
