A distinguished alumnus honors the legacy of his father by supporting the students of tomorrow
Charles (Chuck) J. Volpe, Esq., '82 and Ellen Volpe
A father's lessons tend to loom large in the life of a son, and the fondest wish of many a son is to honor the legacy of his father. Such is the case for Charles (Chuck) J. Volpe, Esq., '82, who, along with his mother, the late Eleanor Volpe, established the Charles J. Volpe Sr. '61 Memorial Scholarship in honor of his father, the late Charles J. Volpe Sr.
"A lot of what I have been able to do came from [my father's] blueprint," says Chuck, a Scranton native, who today is the President of Excalibur Insurance Management Services, LLC, which serves as the attorney-in-fact for H.A.R.I.E., a large governmental insurer that covers 350 municipalities in Pennsylvania. "He was a great mentor and a great teacher, and [he] believed in the right things."
When fully endowed, the $1 million scholarship will support the full tuition of a University of Scranton student in perpetuity, guaranteeing the leaders of tomorrow an education steeped in the same Catholic, Jesuit values championed by generations of Volpes.
"'To whom much is given, much is expected.' My dad believed in that. I believe in that," Chuck says. "This is one manifestation of that."
Although Charles Sr. began his family's association with the University in 1954 when he began his undergraduate studies, ironically, had he had his way at the time, he would not have chosen to do so. Instead, he would have pursued his dream of playing professional baseball, which very nearly came to pass when the Philadelphia Phillies offered him a contract after his last high school game.
"My grandfather took one look at the contract and ripped it into 27 pieces," Chuck says.
His grandfather was only interested in seeing his son become a doctor, lawyer or priest, and so the elder Volpe entered the University's pre-med program "under protest." After meeting Eleanor, Charles Sr. joined the Navy to train as a pilot and was honorably discharged after three years of service. He returned to the University in 1959 and resumed his studies, earning his bachelor's degree.
After graduating, the elder Volpe became an insurance broker, eventually forming Foxco Insurance Management Services, the initial attorney-in-fact for H.A.R.I.E. In addition to his activities in the private sector, Charles Sr. maintained a lifelong commitment to public service, serving in numerous political positions, including deputy mayor of the city of Scranton and as a representative in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
"Public service really was the essence of who my dad was," Chuck says.
While observing his father's experiences in public service fostered the younger Volpe's interest in the political arena, curiously enough, his lifelong interest in the law fell neatly in line with one of the career paths his grandfather intended for the elder Volpe. He set his sights on becoming a trial lawyer with an eye toward one day holding political office. He enrolled in the University's Special Jesuit Liberal Arts Honors Program in 1978 and majored in Public Administration. While at Scranton, he was elected president of the College Democrats and class Vice President of the Student Government Association.
Chuck went on to receive his Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 1985. He practiced law as a bond counsel and a trial lawyer in courtroom litigation before joining the family business, when the elder Volpe was diagnosed with lung cancer. He ran for public office on several occasions for several elected positions, including Governor of Pennsylvania, and, most recently, he was elected Commissioner of the Lackawanna County Government Study Commission, where he served as chairman. Along the way, he married Ellen, and the couple had three children who eventually blessed them with three grandchildren. In 2016, he received the Frank J. O'Hara Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award bestowed jointly by the University and The Alumni Society. Today, in addition to his work with Excalibur, he hosts The Volpe Report, a political television show currently airing on FOX56 WOLF.
Chuck continues to honor the legacy of his father in a variety of ways, including a recent six-figure gift to the Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., Athletics Campus, which will house a first-class baseball diamond the elder Volpe would have certainly appreciated. Through his support of scholarship and athletics, the insurance provider helps ensure the University will continue to care for the whole person.
"What better legacy for a family or for an individual than to be able to live on through a scholarship?" Chuck asks. "To help somebody who has the qualifications, the intellect, the will and the ability to get one of the best educations in the country, a Jesuit education."
Honor Someone Important to You
Like the Volpes, you can create a meaningful gift to The University of Scranton that honors an important person in your life. Contact Carol Maculloch, MBA, CFRE at plannedgiving@scranton.edu or 570-941-7799 to learn more.