Koonce Scholars raises $250,000 to match Packers’ gift

April 21, 2025

FOND DU LAC – The Dr. George E. Koonce Scholars Program at Marian University has successfully raised $250,000 to match a generous gift from the Green Bay Packers Foundation.  Koonce – founder of the Koonce Scholars, senior vice president for University Relations at Marian University and a former Green Bay Packer – said the match means a total of $500,000 will go to the Koonce Scholars Program at Marian, which aims to eliminate barriers to higher education for all students, including those from underserved communities.

He said the Packers Foundation awarded a $250,000 matching grant to the Koonce Scholars Program in June 2024, as part of the Foundation’s Impact Grants – which provided a record $1.7 million to 10 organizations, focusing on a wide variety of community needs.  

Though the Packers gave Koonce Scholars a deadline of June 2026 to raise the matching funds, Koonce said the goal was reached a year early, thanks to multiple generous donors.

The donation that put the Koonce Scholars over the top, he said, was a $100,000 gift from Drexel Building Supply.

“Drexel’s mission is to ‘Supply Happiness,’ and they are well known for their commitment to community and sustainability,” Koonce said. “We are thankful to Drexel, all the other donors and especially the Green Bay Packers Foundation. Their support will open a world of opportunities for these deserving students.”