A prominent Slippery Rock University alumnus and his wife made a meaningful investment in the next generation of SRU students.

Charlie Sheetz, a 1974 graduate of SRU, and his wife, Gail, have established the Charlie Sheetz ’74 Mentorship Program and the Charlie ’74 and Gail Sheetz Nursing Skills Lab. These strategic initiatives are designed to prepare students to lead, achieve and thrive in high-demand careers, said a news release from SRU.

Launching in fall 2026, the Charlie Sheetz Mentorship Program is designed to prepare junior and senior SRU business students from any major for professional success through alumni engagement and career-focused programming. As many as 100 students will be paired with 30 to 40 alumni mentors who can guide, challenge and support their journey based on shared interests and career goals.

The Sheetz investment will fund the program for five years, SRU said. The university said the donor prefers to keep the exact gift amount confidential. The Sheetz family owns and operates more than 800 convenience stores in the United States.