Pete and Pam Julian create scholarships to help current and future generations of Wright State students

Pete and Pam Julian included Wright State in their estate plan, creating endowed scholarships in athletics, business, nursing and fine and performing arts. (Photo by Erin Pence)

As a member of the Wright State University Foundation Board of Trustees, Pete Julian has discovered how scholarships can change the lives of Wright State students. At the board’s quarterly meetings, a student speaker usually shares their journey at Wright State and the impact of scholarships on their education.

“There are some incredible stories,” said Julian. “It’s amazing what some of these students have done and the challenges they have overcome. When you hear their stories, they inspire you to help more, give more, do more.”

In 2022, Julian and his wife, Pam, established the Julian Family Scholarship in the Raj Soin College of Business.

“I’ve always wanted to give back to Wright State,” said Julian, who graduated from Wright State in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science in Business in finance. “It was a good experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the business courses.”

After graduation, Julian began his career in local government finance and eventually went into the real estate investment and management business. He currently serves as president of Pathfinder Realty.

“We have the opportunity to give back now,” said Julian. “We’re grateful that we’re in a position to do something like this.”

After meeting some of their scholarship recipients and hearing the stories of student presenters at the foundation board meetings, the couple was inspired to take their giving even further by including Wright State in their estate plan.

Their bequest will create the Julian Family Endowed Athletics Scholarship, the Julian Family Endowed Business Scholarship, the Julian Family Endowed Nursing Scholarship and the Julian Family Endowed Scholarship for Fine and Performing Arts.

As season ticket holders for Raider basketball and Wright State Theatre, it was a natural fit for the Julians to support both of those areas. But the couple also wanted to help boost the region’s health care workforce by encouraging more young people to study nursing.

“We think it’s a profession that is underappreciated,” Julian said. “We have a shortage of nurses, and we can help people choose that profession by making it easier for them financially.”

The Julians appreciate that their gifts can have a greater impact at Wright State because of the university’s combination of high-quality education and affordability.

“Wright State is an outstanding university. It offers an excellent education and a good value,” said Julian. “As a business person, you’re always looking for a good value. Wright State gives you a good value. You can help more students.”

For the Julians, the greatest fulfillment comes from meeting their scholarship recipients and following their journeys at Wright State and beyond.

“It’s both interesting and rewarding,” said Pam Julian.

With their recent estate commitment, Pete and Pam Julian will continue to impact the lives of Wright State students for generations to come.