Bradford couple establishes new scholarship

Silvia M. Martinez and David O. Krantz have endowed a new scholarship, which has been awarded to a senior who will be the first in her family to graduate from college.

The new scholarship is for a deserving student who demonstrates financial need. The first recipient was Gabrielle Neuhof, a senior exercise science major from Somerset who plans to become a dietician following her graduation this spring.

“I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college,” Neuhof told Martinez and Krantz. “My father is self-employed, and my mother can only work about four hours a day, which is why I am so thankful to receive any scholarships or financial aid. Usually, I have to take out an extra loan to fulfill the money I owe, but because of your donation, I did not have to take out any extra loans this semester.”

Krantz and Martinez are both chemical engineers at American Refining Group and both enjoy working with nonprofits. Krantz is a member of the advisory committee for the American Refining Group/Harry R. Halloran Jr. Energy Institute at Pitt-Bradford and vice president of the United Way of the Bradford Area. Both feel blessed to serve the Bradford community through their active participation in the ministries of Emanuel Lutheran Church.

“ARG and Pitt are both pillars of the Bradford community,” Krantz said. “We've always been big supporters of education, and we like what Pitt-Bradford does in the community.”

One thing that has meant a lot to the couple is the increasing diversity of Pitt-Bradford's student body. Between 2005 and 2015, Pitt-Bradford increased its enrollment of students of color from 6 percent to 22 percent.

“That's something we can understand and support,” Krantz said, explaining that Martinez grew up in Puerto Rico and was a first-generation college student herself.

In addition, the couple's daughter, 23, recently graduated from college. “We understand what it's like to be a young person,” he said, “and we felt we could make a meaningful contribution to help some out.”

Martinez and Krantz have had and will continue to have some support from ARG, which matches its employees' gifts up to $500 per year per employee. The match helped contribute to their initial gift and increases the amount they can give each year to grow their scholarship fund.

To find out more about starting a scholarship at Pitt-Bradford, contact Jill Ballard, executive director of Institutional Advancement at 814-362-5091 or jballard@pitt.edu.