Barry ’65 and Barbara Wenger Shaw ’65 have been loyal and passionate supporters of Gettysburg College for nearly six decades, giving back to their alma mater because of the experiences they had on campus as undergraduates. Barbara, who majored in German, remembers visiting the homes of professors who helped shape her love of teaching and paved the way for a long career in secondary education. Gettysburg’s liberal arts and sciences education also gave Barry the knowledge and enduring skills to adapt to the changing demands of his career.
“My professors challenged me to think beyond what they were teaching,” said Barry, executive chairman of the board at The Wenger Group. “I majored in business and math, but I ended up formulating chicken feed. I didn’t learn how to do that here, but I did learn how to analyze things and use the knowledge that I gained. After getting into the feed business, I helped develop an amino acid-balanced feed program using protein, fat, and fiber. Gettysburg taught me how to be adaptable and take what we learned and apply it to a career.”
Nearing their 60th reunion, the Shaws returned to campus for the Summit on the Future on Sept. 22-23, 2023, reigniting their connections with members of the Gettysburg College community. Members of the Benefactors Circle, Barry and Barbara are longtime contributors to the Gettysburg Fund and inspire fellow alumni to do the same. Barry, an emeritus trustee who served on the Board of Trustees for 13 years (1987-2000) and held the position of Annual Fund National Chair for much of that time, was recognized with the Meritorious Service Award by the College in 2015.
Culminating their return home to Gettysburg, Barry and Barbara were honored in front of family, friends, and fellow alumni as the inaugural recipients of the F. Barry ’65 & Barbara Wenger Shaw ’65 Award for Exceptional Philanthropic Leadership, recognizing their longtime service, leadership, and support to Gettysburg College.
“In the Bible, it says the more you give, the more you receive. We’ve been blessed, our company’s grown, and we want to multiply those blessings and share them with as many people as possible. What better way can you do that than by giving to a great institution like Gettysburg?”
