West Chester, PA – June 25, 2020: Chester County Community Foundation (CCCF) is pleased to hold in trust the inaugural Richard R. Ruch scholarship awarded by the Ruch Family Foundation. In memory of Randy Ruch’s late son, Richard, a $5000 scholarship per year for up to 4 years will now be awarded to deserving children of and/or employees of Schuylkill Valley Sports (SVS).
The Richard R. Ruch inaugural scholarship recipient is Bethany Stern, an incoming junior at Penn State Berks, majoring in business management and marketing with an emphasis on finance. Not only is Bethany’s father the district manager of SVS, but Bethany has been an employee of SVS for the past five and a half years. Some of her accomplishments include managing employees and overseeing SVS’ most profitable tent sale.
Randy Ruch founded SVS in 1971 after graduating from Villanova University in 1967. His passion and perseverance led to his induction into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2012. While Randy is no longer involved in the day to day operations of the business, by establishing this award, he recognizes the dedication of SVS employees, demonstrates his appreciation for the sporting goods industry and his belief in the power of education.
The Richard R. Ruch scholarship will be awarded annually and on a competitive basis to a student who has achieved at least a 3.0 GPA during sophomore, junior, and half of senior year of high school. The applicant will also demonstrate financial need and maintain at least a 2.75 GPA or higher in their college career while holding a course load of at least twelve credit hours.
Over the years, the Ruch Family Foundation Fund has made distributions for charitable purposes to non-profit organizations in the human services arena, and has awarded scholarships to graduating seniors from Allentown High School and the Phoenixville Area High School. Additionally, the Ruch Foundation supports an annual scholarship to a Villanova student. The Ruch Family Foundation Fund continues to give back to their community through new endeavors and serves as a prime example of how philanthropy can positively impact the lives of others.
To learn more about available scholarships visit https://chescocf.org/receive/apply-for-scholarships/.
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About the Chester County Community Foundation
Headquartered in West Chester’s Historic Lincoln Building, the Chester County Community Foundation connects people who care with causes that matter, so their legacy philanthropy makes a difference now and forever. The Community Foundation holds over $70 million in trust and annually awards $3.5 million in grants and scholarships. www.chescocf.org.