Barbara Golden Laubscher Trustee Scholarship Established

Brian W. ’89 Bus , ’04 M.B.A. and Kristine E. Laubscher ’95 LA have established a $50,000 trustee scholarship in the College of Education to provide financial assistance for undergraduate students pursuing degrees in childhood and early adolescent education. This scholarship was created in memory of Brian’s mother, Barbara Golden Laubscher, an elementary school teacher who believed strongly in the importance of quality education.

Barbara began her career as a second-grade teacher and then taught in a variety of capacities in the years following, impacting many students with her patient instruction and dedication. Through their scholarship, Brian and Kristine hope to inspire this same commitment to excellence in future educators.

“Brian and Kris Laubscher have a deep appreciation for the importance of education,” says College of Education Dean David H. Monk. “We are very grateful for their decision to honor Brian’s mother by supporting the preparation of future teachers. The Laubscher commitment to excellence in teaching will live on in perpetuity, benefiting generations of students to come.”

The Trustee Matching Scholarship Program maximizes the impact of private giving while directing funds to students as quickly as possible, meeting the urgent need for scholarship support. In this groundbreaking philanthropic model, Penn State matches 5 percent of the total pledge or gift at the time a Trustee Scholarship is created, making funds available immediately for student awards. The University match, which is approximately equal to the endowment’s annual spendable income, continues in perpetuity, doubling the support available for students with financial need.

Brian earned a bachelor’s degree in business logistics in 1989 and a master of business administration degree in 2004, both from Penn State. As an undergraduate student, he was active in leadership roles, working as a resident assistant for two years and as a teaching assistant for business logistics.

Following graduation, he spent 15 years at various positions with Manugistics, Inc. (now JDA Software), a supply chain planning and optimization software company based in Rockville, Maryland. While at Manugistics, Brian spent six years working in California. He continued his career at Campbell’s Soup in Camden, NJ, where he worked as supply planning manager. He currently is employed by FMC Corporation in Philadelphia, where he manages a team that plans the global supply of active ingredients for FMC Corporation’s Agricultural Products Group.

Brian has also been an active volunteer for Penn State. He helped to re-launch the Philadelphia chapter of the Smeal Business Club, and he has served as the organization’s president since 2009. Brian is also an ex-officio director of the Alumni Society Board for the Smeal College of Business.

Kris earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a business minor in 1995. During her time at Penn State, she founded the Industrial Organizational Psychology Club, volunteered at the campus childcare center, and worked at the on-campus bakery. Kris also made the Dean's List each of her four years.

She began her career in San Francisco, Calif., working as a human resources consultant for Anderson Consulting and Answerthink. She is currently self-employed as a home-based customer service agent and virtual training facilitator. She also is involved in several activities, serving as a Girl Scout troop leader, a member of the parent-teacher organization, and the secretary of the Wallingford Swim and Racquet Club.

Brian and Kris are proud parents of a son and two daughters. They are members of the Nittany Lion Club, and they are avid Penn State football fans, supporting the team as season ticket holders.

--By Kate Emmick (July 2012)