"There is a connection between success on the playing field and in the classroom," observes Ithaca College trustee Kurt Wolfgruber '72, explaining his recent $100,000 contribution to the athletics and events center. As a former IC athlete and a strong advocate for the College, Wolfgruber is resolved to help bring a "competitive, signature [athletic] facility" to South Hill that will stand as a centerpiece for the campus.
With a father who was a physician and a mother who was a nurse, it seemed natural for Kurt Wolfgruber to study chemistry as an undergraduate. "But I didn't have a strong feeling that I would complete that major," he says. "I wanted a strong set of humanities and science options, so that as I experimented with a number of courses, I could still count on a strong curriculum in my ultimate choice, which turned out to be economics."
"Ithaca had what I wanted: a great social and relationship-focused environment, the chance to play on a top-notch athletic team, and the quality education that got me into the graduate program of my choice." Following graduation from IC, Wolfgruber attended the University of Virginia Graduate School of Business (now known as the Darden School of Business).
Wolfgruber is currently president and chief investment officer of OppenheimerFunds, where he is responsible for the overall direction of the firm's investment department, as well as for the sales, marketing, client service, and product management departments. He attributes at least some of his career success to professor of economics Bogdan Mieczkowski, now retired. "Professor Mieczkowski was my academic adviser and tutorial supervisor. His professionalism and, most importantly, his positive feedback and encouragement about my work in economics and likely success in business school were key elements of my career development. He wrote a wonderful recommendation letter for grad school, which I'm sure was a major factor in my acceptance."
Although Wolfgruber had hoped to play basketball in college, his hopes were soon dashed. "After playing freshman football as a fitness move, a preseason injury, my class schedule, and my 5'10" frame all got in the way of that challenge. So I was thrilled when an encouraging tryout proved successful in getting me a spot on the freshman baseball team. I went on to play for four years, as Ithaca College gave me a chance to compete in a first-class, nationally ranked program. While never a very significant contributor on the field, I learned a great deal about the organizational discipline and leadership needed to compete at that level."
As a student, Wolfgruber also worked for the Office of Sports Information as a statistician for the football and basketball teams and spent a summer as an intern for Phil Langan, who was then the director of sports information. "Phil helped me in many ways: economically, professionally, athletically, and really as a second father," Wolfgruber says. "Working with Phil, I learned a great deal about the media, writing, promotion, and the use of numbers."
Wolfgruber says his experience as an athlete was an important part of his development. "There is a connection between success on the playing field, in the classroom, and in society," he notes, which is why he has committed $100,000 toward the athletics and events center. "It can and should be a centerpiece for the campus. It's what nearly all prospective students want to see when they visit and a very high percentage will use. The fact that the gym and much of the supporting facilities are the same as they were in the late 1960s -- and that raising money for athletic facilities is generally described as a 'very difficult task' -- gives me greater resolve that we need to, and will, get this project funded and completed. It should be a competitive, signature facility relative to the top level of Division III."
