Paying it forward
Peter Haas ’06 endows scholarship in memory of Wheaton friend
When Peter Haas ’06 arrived at Wheaton College as a first-year student from a Philadelphia suburb, he didn’t know anyone. Fortunately, he was soon welcomed to campus by Scott Ryan ’03, a senior, whom Haas described as a force of nature.
“It’s hard to be a freshman and when there’s a senior out there who takes an interest in you, it helps,” said Haas. “It’s an affirming thing.
“He had more energy, life and force than many of the people that I’ve known, and his passion and love for theater, and his desire to make that his profession was very evident from the beginning. He showed me through his own example, that you can live your life authentically, in a way that allows people to connect to you.”
Ryan lost a battle with cancer in 2015, leaving wife Rachel and two children. He had thrived in theater since grade school, and performed in many productions, including a semester at the National Theater Institute in Waterford, Conn., as a Wheaton student. And he later enjoyed performing on stage with Wheaton’s a cappella group, The Gentleman Callers.
After Ryan’s passing, Haas knew that he wanted to pay tribute to his fallen friend while helping other students like him. With a generous gift to Wheaton earlier this year, Haas created The Scott Ryan ’03 Memorial Endowed Internship, which will support a current student seeking experiential learning opportunities in theater, with secondary preference given to a student of the arts, history or political science.
“Theater students need practical experience to get a leg up in the world. I hope this internship provides an opportunity for students to pursue their dreams,” he said.
Haas grew up with access to Philadelphia’s theater and cultural events, which fueled his interest in the arts. He majored in history and minored in theatre at Wheaton, and both have shaped him, personally and professionally.
“I believe in Wheaton’s mission, that they may have life, and they may have it abundantly, however abundance is in your world,” said Haas. “Giving to Wheaton, especially through this gift, empowers the college to take a role in the lives of students by guiding them, but also releasing them to live fiercely in the world. And one of the ways that we can do that is, by having both flexible and dedicated financing that lets Wheaton live out its mission and lets students live out their passions.”
Haas is now a high school history and English teacher at Devon Preparatory School in Devon, Penn., where he has taught for 10 years. He credits Wheaton’s influential professors with helping shape how he saw the world.
“The comprehensive educational experience I had opened my eyes to other perspectives and ideas in an environment that affirmed who I was, but pushed me to grow,” Haas said. “I try to bring that forward as a teacher. By being open to new things we can become better versions of ourselves.”
Haas also ran the theater department for a few years at the Philadelphia-area school where he teaches, and enjoys helping students to self-create.
“I show them the beauty of history, literature and the arts and humanities, empowering them to go out and be a force in their own world,” he said.
Haas develops relationships through connections, much like how his friendship began with Ryan. This desire to connect prompted Haas to co-host an event in June for Wheaton alums at his brother’s rum distillery in Philadelphia.
“I thought it would be a unique way to bring Wheatonians together and connect them to each other and to my family,” he said. “I hope it’s something that we can do consistently over the years.”
Haas aims to meet the recipients of the fund created in honor of his friend, so he can share how his fondness for humanities has positively influenced his life and what it can do for others.
“I find it right and proper that Scott’s memory should live on at Wheaton in the theatre department, helping to empower other generations of Wheatonians to find their love in the arts, and to find a pathway forward into making the world a more beautiful place.”