Guistwhites Set an Example of Excellence for a New Generation
“The journey of your life is very important and in thinking about the future, your destination is important as well. So many younger people don’t appear to have any goals, but Phi Theta Kappa members are different. ” - Margaret Guistwhite
Margaret and Jack Guistwhite still visit the campus of their beloved Florida Atlantic University, where the Phi Theta Kappa alumni members flock to see them.
These students know that the Guistwhites are largely responsible for making it possible for them and for many other Phi Theta Kappa members to complete baccalaureate degrees - because more than 30 years ago, while an administrator at Florida Atlantic University, Dr. Jack Guistwhite established the first-ever transfer scholarship offered exclusively to a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
“I remember in the old days, Executive Director Rod Risley used to have me get up and present the Florida Atlantic scholarship at the International Convention, because it was the only one,” he said., “Afterward I would have all kinds of people ask how Florida Atlantic was able to do this. I would tell them, and things just grew from there.”
Other four-year colleges and universities followed Florida Atlantic University’s lead, and today Phi Theta Kappa now boasts an ever-growing transfer scholarship partnership with more than 600 institutions of higher learning offering over $36 million in transfer scholarship to Society members.
“A Phi Theta Kappa transfer scholarship enabled me to continue my college education in Public Administration. The Phi Theta Kappa alumni chapter is also a great place to make friends and have a more meaningful college experience,” said FAU student Beth Higgins.
While Dr. Guistwhite originated the concept of the scholarship opportunity for Phi Theta Kappa members, he is quick to credit the role of his college administrators in making the scholarship happen.
“I never could have done it without the support of our college administrators,” he said. “And of course the support of administrators is crucial to scholarship development today.”
A native of New Cumberland, Pennsylvania, Dr. Guistwhite attended the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He moved to Florida in 1939 to work in a business owned by relatives, and in 1941 enrolled as a junior in the College of Business at the University of Florida. But fate intervened, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor he withdrew from the University and enlisted in the U.S. Army.
He graduated from the Transportation Corps Officer Candidate School as a 2nd Lieutenant, spent two years in the European Theatre and separated from active duty in 1946 with the rank of Captain. He continued in the reserve with a Mobilization Assignment in the Office of Transportation in the Pentagon until 1966 and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1977.
After the war he returned to the University of Florida, graduated in 1947 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration and joined the staff of the university registrar. In 1963 Dr. Guistwhite was invited to be a part of creating a new institution, Florida Atlantic University, which opened its doors in 1964.
“What it finally came down to was, how many chances do you get to be in on building something from the ground up?” Dr. Guistwhite said of the decision to move to Boca Raton and accept the new position.
At FAU he also served as Community College Relations Officer, the first in the State University System, a position that put him in touch with community college students - Phi Theta Kappa members in particular. These contacts led him to establish the FAU/Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship Program, become the charter advisor of Alpha of Florida, one of the first Phi Theta Kappa university-based alumni chapters in the Society, and Florida’s first Alumni Regional Coordinator. He was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa’s National Alumni Council, a forerunner of the Alumni Advisory Council.
Dr. Guistwhite retired on December 31, 1982, after more than 35 years in the Florida State University System. Along the way he had earned master’s and doctoral degrees and garnered numerous campus and community honors. At the time of his retirement he was Director of Inter-Institutional Relations for FAU.
He was named an International Honorary Member of Phi Theta Kappa in 1975. Dr. Guistwhite remained active in Phi Theta Kappa until 1989, when he was named Alumni Regional Coordinator Emeritus at the International Convention in recognition of his years of service to the Society.
Phi Theta Kappa further honored the Guistwhites by naming the Guistwhite Scholar Program, which provides funds for baccalaureate studies, in their honor. The first class of Guistwhite Scholars was announced at the 1992 Phi Theta Kappa International Convention in Washington, D.C.
Currently Phi Theta Kappa selects 20 Guistwhite Scholars annually, who each receive $5,000 scholarships. Almost 300 Phi Theta Kappa members have received Guistwhite awards since the program’s inception.
The Guistwhites have given a deferred gift of $500,000 in the form of a life insurance policy to support the Guistwhite Scholar Program. Being able to help so many students achieve their educational goals has been an important part of Dr. Guistwhite’s life.
Dr. and Mrs. Guistwhite say that over the years they have been amazed as they read profiles of the students who have been selected as recipients of the scholarships carrying their name. They continue to enjoy receiving letters of thanks and occasionally meeting Guistwhite Scholar recipients.
“They enrolled at a community college, they got involved with Phi Theta Kappa and now they’re doing things for other people; they think of something other than themselves,” Dr. Guistwhite said.
“Margaret and I unfortunately never had any children, but we consider these Guistwhite Scholars from all over the country to be part of our family.”
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