A Lasting Commitment to Science and Students

For Debra Maurer '75 Ondeyka, Susquehanna University has always represented more than a place where she earned her degree. It is a community that shaped her intellectual curiosity and her belief in the power of education to open doors. With a deep appreciation for the sciences, Debra has supported Susquehanna’s Department of Chemistry—from which she graduated—faithfully over the years through regular annual fund gifts, helping ensure that today’s students have access to the same opportunities that once influenced her own path.

Her philanthropy has now taken on an enduring form. Through a legacy gift commitment, Debra has chosen to support two funds that honor the remarkable impact of longtime chemistry professor Thomas F. McGrath and reflect her belief in hands-on learning and student support.

One of those funds, The Thomas F. McGrath Summer Science Research Partners Endowment, celebrates McGrath’s nearly 50 years of service to Susquehanna students; first as a member of the faculty and later in the financial aid office. Known for challenging students while treating them as colleagues, McGrath pioneered Susquehanna’s summer science research initiative, which created opportunities for students to engage in extended, in-depth laboratory work alongside faculty mentors. What began modestly evolved into the Summer Research Program, now a cornerstone of the sciences at Susquehanna.

Income from the McGrath Summer Science Research Partners Endowment supports students—known as McGrath Scholars—as they pursue collaborative summer research with Susquehanna faculty, conduct research at other universities or gain hands-on experience through internships. These experiences build scientific literacy and professional readiness and prepare students for careers or advanced graduate study. Debra’s legacy gift will help ensure that this transformative program continues to thrive for generations of student scientists.

Debra’s commitment also extends to the Thomas McGrath Chemistry Scholarship Fund, established in honor of McGrath’s long-standing dedication to teaching and in memory of Jean E. McGrath Helfrich. Income from this fund provides scholarship support for students majoring in chemistry or biochemistry, easing financial barriers and allowing them to focus fully on their academic and professional development.

Through her legacy gift commitment, Debra has thoughtfully aligned her philanthropy with the values that matter most to her: academic excellence, meaningful mentorship and opportunity for students. Her generosity—rooted in years of consistent annual support and now extended through planned giving—ensures that Susquehanna’s Department of Chemistry will continue to educate, challenge and inspire.