Randy Ruch ’67

The wall beside Randy Ruch's desk in his home office in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania is home to a framed collection of papers and photographs dedicated to the person he credits as having the most influence on his education and subsequent success—his mother, Mary.

"If there was one person that has had the most influence on me, I know who that was—it was you," he states in one of the letters, written to her upon his graduation from Villanova in 1967.

Mary Ruch worked as a meat wrapper at the Food Fair supermarket in the family's native Allentown. Because she was a full-time employee, her son benefited from the company's college scholarship program, which offered $500 per year toward tuition at select area schools. The amount represented a fifth of the annual cost at the time. And that scholarship assistance his mother worked long hours to earn was what allowed Randy the chance to pursue his Villanova education.

When discussing what inspired him to fund the Randall R. Ruch '67 Endowed Scholarship, he says the genesis was fairly simple: he wanted to ensure that other eager students were afforded the same opportunities he was.

In Randy's case, those opportunities were put to good use. Villanova proved to be an important part of his life in several different ways. Originally interested in becoming a teacher, he was an education major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. But once he completed his Villanova-required student teaching, Randy realized that education was not for him. And after working as an engineering programmer for several years, Randy again found himself looking for a new opportunity.

Combining an entrepreneurial spirit with his lifelong love of athletics, he founded Schuylkill Valley Sporting Goods, opening his first retail location in Phoenixville in 1971. The company expanded to a second location in Quakertown 8 years later, and its success grew from there. Citing a few important business and learning opportunities along the way, Randy states that upon his retirement in 2010 the company, now known as Schuylkill Valley Sports, boasted 19 locations. He was inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame in 2012.

Reflecting on his successful career, Randy credits Villanova with teaching him how to think both logically and philosophically—skills that proved invaluable in business. Now with seven children and 13 grandchildren, the Villanovan identity has become an important part of Randy's legacy.

And of course, it is only natural that a man whose professional life revolved around athletics should be a proud and active Wildcat fan. That loyal fandom began as soon as Randy stepped on campus—he lost his student job at the Pie Shop in Dougherty Hall because he refused to miss a basketball game between Villanova and Princeton with legendary coach Bill Bradley. Randy and his son Robert '01 CLAS also celebrated the 2018 NCAA Championship together in San Antonio.

In addition to setting up a scholarship that benefits students now, Randy has also included a provision in his estate plan to continue the award's legacy long into the future. He hopes that the students who have the chance to join the Villanova community because of his philanthropy will feel the same sense of pride that he does.

And when the first Ruch Scholar steps onto campus, perhaps they will begin to draft a letter of thanks to the person who was most influential in their lives to help them reach that point; something that would undoubtedly make Mary Ruch very proud.

If you would like to learn how you can make a scholarship gift to benefit future students, please contact Tim McKinley at 215-240-0812 or timothy.mckinley@villanova.edu.