For Barrie Pease, '78, many of the varied occupations and successful endeavors throughout his life have been based on one common connection: the education and experiences he gained while at Penn State Berks.
Barrie, a member of the first graduating class in the Law Enforcement and Community Justice Program through Penn State Berks, recalls, "The education I received at Penn State was amazing and really kept me interested in learning." This served as a springboard to a career in law enforcement, as an insurance fraud investigator, as a college professor—and now as president of the board of the Animal Rescue League of Berks County.
Barrie and his wife, Barb, had already decided to give back to Penn State through a deferred (or planned) gift. Then, while Barrie was attending Penn State's Campaign All- Volunteer Summit, he learned that deferred gifts also count toward Penn State's For the Future campaign.
That realization made their planned gift, which is a bequest to create the Barrie and Barbara Ann Pease Scholarship at Penn State Berks—with first preference to outstanding undergraduates who pursue a degree in crime, law, and justice—even more compelling. Barrie adds, "This seemed like an appropriate way to give back to Penn State and to the field of law enforcement, both of which have been very good to me."
Barrie hopes that the scholarship will help provide training and education for future students so "they can make a contribution to their communities, much like Barbara and I have been able to do over the years."