Peter Schroer ’79, P’13 Endows the Science Program Fund with Gift of Appreciated Stock

Peter Schroer ’79, P’13

“You have to have grit!” Peter Schroer ’79, P’13 explains, citing Angela Duckworth’s Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. The grit he needed to advance in life was instilled in him at an early age. Peter fully recognizes it was not his stature that set him apart from his competitors on the football field, rather it was his perseverance.

His beloved coach, Edward “Ted” Davis P’86,’88, impressed on him that he was capable of achieving anything he set his mind to as a young athlete. Peter’s high aptitude to succeed regardless of any obstacles he faced and, when necessary, to fail with grace, led to the great success he has had in life. He attributes much of this to Hotchkiss.

Despite this, Peter did not have a particularly close relationship with Hotchkiss after graduation. However, when he returned with his daughter, Sara ’13, to campus for his 30th Reunion, he was reminded of the truly tremendous experiences he had at Hotchkiss—and of the fun. Peter gave his most significant gift in honor of his reunion after being shown that he could give while preserving his liquid assets.

Since he was not particularly affluent while he and his wife were in the early stages of launching a startup tech company, this was a great philanthropic opportunity for Peter and his family. He decided to give 100,000 shares of closely held stock of his new company. If the company were to be sold or go public, Hotchkiss’s holding would gain instant value.

Peter Schroer ’79 at his Hotchkiss graduation

Peter’s grit continued to prove invaluable as he grew Aras Corporation to be an international, multimillion-dollar company employing 620 people around the globe. The gift he made during his reunion did not have any market value at the time. Peter notes he was essentially bringing Hotchkiss along for the ride—and when the company was sold in 2021, Hotchkiss was not the only beneficiary. Many of the people who were influential in the company’s growth also benefited. This was an incredible feat worth celebrating.

Peter designated the proceeds of the stock sale to endow the Science Program Fund. The fund supports improvements in the science program with a focus on STEM as well as the diversity of students in the Hotchkiss science program. Peter believes this fund will contribute to the growth of a keystone program for applicants interested in STEM, helping them not only grow in innovation but also in grit.