The J. Harold and Gladys Schertz Burkholder Scholarship Fund

Both J. Harold Burkholder and Gladys Schertz Burkholder attended Goshen College in the mid-1930s and while they met at GC, neither of them finished their degrees at Goshen.  Both returned to their home states (Harold to Pennsylvania and Gladys to Illinois) after one year for Harold and two years for Gladys at Goshen.  Gladys received her teaching certificate and started teaching in Illinois and Harold continued his schooling, earning his degree from Shippensburg State College.

During these years in the late 1930s, they continued to communicate and see each other periodically and were then married in 1940.  For two years they lived in Elizabethtown, PA and then, in 1942 moved to Illinois and began a long career in education in Illinois – a combined 63 years before they retired in 1973!  They both continued their own education with Gladys finishing her degree at Bradley University, one class at a time and taking summer classes.  Harold earned his master’s degree in school administration and guidance and then worked as a guidance counselor for 16 years.

Harold and Gladys chose to give back to Goshen College for several reasons.  First, they had a strong belief in Christian, particularly Mennonite, higher education.  They were also impressed with and influenced by the professors at Goshen College when they attended.  Gladys especially appreciated elementary education professor, Dr. Mary Royer.  “She really inspired you,” Gladys said.  In addition, they always took special interest in the College since Harold’s brother, J. Lawrence, was the GC president from 1971 to 1984.