Patriots Point Foundation this week accepted a $15,000 donation from Mike and Mary Sudzina to provide scholarships for disadvantaged students, thereby allowing them to participate in Patriots Point’s education programs.
Mike Sudzina is a retired executive from Procter and Gamble. He served as a Marine Corps Artillery Officer after college and continues a tradition of service today as a volunteer at Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum. Mr. Sudzina also developed the standards and evaluation process for the scholarship program, which was first funded through a $2,500 donation from AT&T employees this past June.
Mary Sudzina has enjoyed multiple careers in education spanning over 40 years. She has been a high school English teacher, secondary guidance counselor, school psychologist, college counseling psychologist, and college professor. Mrs. Sudzina also serves the community as chair of “Jonathan Green & Friends” fundraising concerts for the arts, as a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council for the MUSC School of Nursing, and adjunct faculty at the College of Charleston.
Through their generous donation, the Sudzinas are leading by example in an effort to encourage others to support the Patriots Point Foundation scholarship program. Mr. Sudzina believes in providing scholarships to students from less fortunate backgrounds so they may take advantage of the superb education programs currently offered at Patriots Point. He stated that not only do the programs at Patriots Point provide quality history and science education, but they also provide a civic component not usually seen in schools to promote and teach citizenship and patriotism.