Alumna’s Gift Establishes Travel Fund Named for Trenton Matriarch Mary G. Roebling

With a gift of $100,000, Gale Wayman ’70 recently established the Mary G. Roebling International Travel Fund at the College. The fund will provide financial assistance to high-achieving students enrolled in the School of Culture and Society.

According to Dean Susan Albertine, more and more students are becoming interested in studying abroad and often qualify for scholarships; however, few scholarship programs include travel expenses, a necessary but costly component of international travel that often hinders a student’s ability to participate. This new travel fund has been designed to lessen that monetary barrier, making it possible for a greater number of students to broaden their college experience with research abroad.

The fund was established to honor the late Mary G. Roebling, who, for nearly half a century, distinguished herself as one of the nation’s top banking executives and as one of Trenton’s most passionate philanthropists.  She also served as a mentor to Wayman and encouraged her own development as a leader in the community.

"Mary was responsible for my success," said Wayman, an Island Heights resident and Trenton native who has managed two companies and returned to school in 2003 to receive her master's degree in political science in the peace studies department at the University of Bradford in England.  She has traveled to many countries and has lived in both Russia and England.

In a recent letter to Betty Hobin, the one surviving child of the late Mrs. Roebling, Wayman wrote, "My time abroad in school made me aware of how little Americans understand of world affairs. I believe that this endowed fund that I am establishing in your mother’s name will help many students from New Jersey have the advantage of learning other cultures first hand. We definitely will need more Americans educated in the ways of the world in years to come."

Recipients of the scholarship must be full-time rising juniors or seniors enrolled during the academic year in which the awards are made.  The recipients are also expected to seek speaking opportunities, both on campus and in their communities, detailing findings related to their international experience.

Wayman’s extensive travel has compelled her to share her experiences with others. "I feel so much wiser after having experienced and seen other cultures.  As you see things, your mind opens," she explained.