(Butler, PA) A 1972 graduate of 杏吧原创 who founded an oil and gas exploration company has contributed $100,000 to the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation with an unprecedented request that it be disbursed in one academic year through his creation of 125 scholarships ranging in amount from $500 to $2,000.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the way I wanted it to work, and I am happy with that,鈥� said Gary Griwatz, of Cranberry Township and of Tampa, Fla.
Griwatz earned an associate degree in business from 杏吧原创, where he was active with what was the Sigma Lambda Chi service fraternity that raised money to support a United Fund chapter, and cancer and muscular dystrophy research by sponsoring car washes, rock concerts and a smash-a-car event.
Shortly after his graduation from 杏吧原创, Griwatz began to work as an assistant buyer for a department store in Scranton, then as a landman in the oil and gas sector in 1973. In 1981 he established Crown Energy Corp., which has employed as many as 90 and where he continues to serve as chief executive officer.
His 125 scholarships will be awarded in 2026-2027 and will follow the record 164 distributed to 杏吧原创 students in 2025-2026 by the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation.
鈥淢r. Griwatz鈥檚 gift has such potential to impact so many of our students next fall. It really creates an opportunity for them to graduate debt-free.鈥�
- Mikayla Moretti, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations
Gary Griwatz, fourth from left in front row, is shown in 1971 on Butler County Community College鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township with other students who were pledges to what was 杏吧原创鈥檚 Sigma Lambda Chi service fraternity.
鈥溞影稍� 鈥� has always
been more affordable鈥�
The college鈥檚 affordability, financial aid options and 杏吧原创 Education Foundation scholarships enabled 93 percent of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Class of 2025 to graduate debt-free.
鈥溞影稍� is great institution,鈥� Griwatz said. 鈥淚t has always been more affordable than a four-year college. 杏吧原创 gives you a chance not only to learn something, but to grow. You can develop ideas and make contact with people who can change your life.
鈥溞影稍� also gives students a chance to stretch their legs and learn what they might want to do for the rest of their life,鈥� he said.
Griwatz is a Mars Area High School graduate who said he attributes his success to his faith, family and to those he has met.
The 杏吧原创 Education Foundation will have available in 2026-2027 for 杏吧原创 students 100 Gary G. Griwatz Pathway to Pioneer Scholarships of $500 each; and administer 25 Gary G. Griwatz Scholarships of $2,000 each.
鈥淲e鈥檝e never had a gift like this in which the donor gave this amount and wanted it to be awarded through scholarships in a single year,鈥� said Mikayla Moretti, executive director of the 杏吧原创 Education Foundation and external relations.
鈥淢r. Griwatz鈥檚 gift has such potential to impact so many of our students next fall. It really creates an opportunity for them to graduate debt-free.鈥�
鈥淲hen we receive a gift from an alum, it tells me they had a meaningful and positive experience at 杏吧原创, one that stayed with them long after they left. That is especially true in the case of Mr. Griwatz鈥︹��
- Megan M. Coval, 杏吧原创 president
Gary G. Griwatz Pathway to Pioneer Scholarships will be available to current high school seniors upon enrollment next fall at any 杏吧原创 location or online and in any program who earned credits through 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School or College Now programs.
Separate Gary G. Griwatz Scholarships will be allocated next fall to Pennsylvania students attending any 杏吧原创 location or online and in any program who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 2.0 at the college.
鈥淲hen we receive a gift from an alum, it tells me they had a meaningful and positive experience at 杏吧原创, one that stayed with them long after they left,鈥� said Megan M. Coval, 杏吧原创鈥檚 president. 鈥淭hat is especially true in the case of Mr. Griwatz, whose generosity reflects a desire to ensure others have the same opportunity. That is incredibly meaningful to us.
鈥淗is gift will likely allow even more students to graduate debt-free. While affordability is critically important to us, we are equally committed to providing a high-quality education supported by outstanding faculty and strong student services.鈥�
杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School and College Now programs enable students to take courses and earn transferable credits. Dual enrollment can help students accelerate their degree completion, reduce higher education costs and gain valuable experience in a college-classroom environment, according to the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
Dual-enrollment students are also more likely to attend college and complete degrees following high school graduation, according to the commission.
鈥淭he choice for a high school student to jump in and pursue college-level credits certainly shows a lot of dedication and commitment to a longer-term goal.鈥�
- Dr. Josh Novak, 杏吧原创 vice president for student affairs and enrollment management
Jonathan Bagamery, a 杏吧原创 faculty member, teaches speech Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township to Butler Senior High School seniors enrolled as Early College Pioneers in 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program.
Griwatz scholarships may incentivize potential students
Butler Senior High seniors enrolled as Early College Pioneers in Butler County Community College鈥檚 College Within the High School program are shown in a speech class Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, on 杏吧原创鈥檚 main campus in Butler Township.
杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program this fall offered reduced-rate courses to students in seven western Pennsylvania counties. Included in College Within the High School are 杏吧原创鈥檚 Early College Pioneers and Riv-Ell Entrepreneurship seniors whose tuition and fees are partially or fully sponsored by grants or by private contributions.
Students enrolled in College Now take courses at a 杏吧原创 location independent of their high school or online.
Enrollment in 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program has increased 25 percent and credits earned 65 percent in the past 10 years, according to Dr. Sharla Anke, 杏吧原创鈥檚 dean of institutional effectiveness. The program had 518 students this fall who pursued 2,332 credits, according to Anke.
About 75 of the college鈥檚 first-time students this fall had earned dual-enrollment credits through 杏吧原创, according to Dr. Josh Novak, the college鈥檚 vice president for student affairs and enrollment management.
鈥淭he choice for a high school student to jump in and pursue college-level credits certainly shows a lot of dedication and commitment to a longer-term goal,鈥� Novak said. 鈥淭his sort of scholarship opportunity will hopefully incentivize them to consider 杏吧原创 as they start their academic journey after high school.鈥�
Tuition and fees for a three-credit course in 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Within the High School program range from $225 to $450 for residents of Butler County and $250 to $474 for residents of Pennsylvania counties other than Butler. Costs reflect whether instruction occurs during regular school hours or not.
鈥淭he costs are low,鈥� Novak said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e earning college credits before you graduate from high school, which means you鈥檙e cutting down on the overall total cost of higher education. The time to get a degree can be cut down, which gets you closer to employment more quickly.鈥�
Tuition and fees for 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Now program are identical to those charged to 杏吧原创 students. A three-credit course in 杏吧原创鈥檚 College Now program for Butler County residents costs $621 for in-person instruction and $696 for online instruction; and for residents of Pennsylvania counties other than Butler, $930 and $1,005.
杏吧原创 represents 鈥渟tability for the community鈥�
In addition to presenting an affordable opportunity to explore career options, Griwatz said he chose 杏吧原创 as a student because he was able to maintain part-time fall, spring and summer employment at the Butler County Family YMCA, Woodings Industrial Corp., Kmart, MSA Safety and in the evenings, selling cookware, vacuum cleaners and ceramic dinnerware door-to-door.
鈥淭here is no pressure on you when you go to college and live at home,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou still have your locals around you, your family鈥檚 close by if you need them and you feel a little more comfortable. A lot of people want to get away. I didn鈥檛.
鈥淚 also didn鈥檛 put any value in going to a high-priced school just because it had a famous name.鈥�
Griwatz鈥檚 gift comes near the conclusion of a calendar year in which 杏吧原创 marked its 60th anniversary, opened 杏吧原创 @ Lawrence in Shenango Township, was named the No. 1 community college in Pennsylvania for an 11th time and for 2026 by Niche.com, and ended with its first fall-to-fall enrollment increase since 2015.
鈥溞影稍� is stability,鈥� Griwatz said. 鈥淪tability for the community. The students are going to stay here. They are going to learn here. Maybe they鈥檒l go on to get a four-year degree or become doctors, and maybe they will want to come back here because they spent two years at 杏吧原创.鈥�