BLOOMSBURG--Making an impact has always been a big part of who Steph Pettit is. The 1989 BU graduate has made the impact as both a football player, businessman and now as one of the chairs of the Bloomsburg University Foundation's First and Goal Campaign to raise $2 million dollars for football scholarships at his alma mater.

The journey for Pettit, that has allowed him to commit $350,000 to the First and Goal campaign, and $1 million overall to the football program, started in New Jersey with a desire to play college football.

The name Bloomsburg University was not familiar to him at all. He was thinking more along the lines of Rutgers, Princeton, Columbia as places he might want to get an education and play football.

But when former Huskies coach George Landis began recruiting the young linebacker it was something that would change his life forever.

“I remember driving to the upper campus what a great atmosphere this could be,” said Pettit. “On that first visit to campus I met former Bloomsburg quarterback Mike Glovas who happened to be around as I tried to get into the building. He started telling me about the program and from that I got a great feeling about the direction of the team.”

Of course to succeed in any kind of work, especially owning your own company like Pettit does, Clean Earth Systems, hard work has to be a big part of your makeup.

“Coach Landis changed my life,” Pettit said. “He instilled in me the work ethic that I carry to this day. His practices were nothing like I had ever experienced. I thank him for showing me what hard work can help you achieve.”

Following his playing days at Bloomsburg Pettit moved to Florida and created Clean Earth Systems, which manufactures and sells haz-mat containers nationwide.

“I connected with coach (Danny) Hale and assistant coach Tom Pajic,” Pettit continued. “I wanted to know how I could help the program. At first what I could do was limited. But then it got to the point where I started a scholarship called SP 59.

“That has helped some of the coaching staff bring in some players who have made big impacts in the program, like last year's PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year Mike Varanavage (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan).”

But Pettit and others knew that more needed to be done to help the Huskies keep pace with other schools around the PSAC. To compete we would need additional scholarships.

“When I was asked to help be one of the leaders (Jerry Frey '71 is the other co-chair) of the First and Goal campaign I did not hesitate,” said Pettit. “We are now changing the culture of giving here and getting people who have a great love for Bloomsburg University and the football program in particular, to be involved financially.”
Funds raised through the “First and Goal” campaign, will make an additional $80,000 to $100,000 in scholarship funds available each year. This increase in scholarship funding allows head coach Hale and his staff to continue this legacy for years to come.

The field at Redman Stadium will be named in honor of Danny Hale at the conclusion of the campaign in spring 2012. Any gift, large or small, will help the Huskies achieve their goal.

For information on making a financial gift to the “First and Goal” campaign, contact the Bloomsburg University Foundation at 570-389-4524 or visit www.bloomufdn.org/firstandgoal.

The Bloomsburg University Foundation, Inc. solicits, manages and grows the financial base of support available to Bloomsburg University and distributes resources in accordance with stakeholder intent.