Schattschneider Family Club (est. 2021)

$250,000-$499,999 

The Schattschneider family is deeply woven into the fabric of Moravian University. From their educational start at Moravian, they enlightened the lives of others for many years by ministering through the Moravian Church and teaching in the classroom. Through their generosity and leadership, the Schattschneider family has provided educational opportunities and preserved and shared Moravian history.

Rev. William C. Schattschneider* was the first in the Schattschneider family to attend Moravian.  William graduated in 1898 after attending Moravian on a scholarship from Moravian Church.  He went on to graduate from Moravian Theological Seminary in 1900.  As part of his scholarship agreement, he committed to serve the Moravian church as a minister.  He was the founding pastor of Bruederheim Moravian Church near Edmonton in Alberta, Canada.  Fluent in German, he served not only as a pastor but also as an interpreter for his congregation, many of whom were immigrant German farms.  He later served Moravian churches in Minnesota, North Dakota, Calgary (Alberta, Canada), and Wisconsin.  He and his wife Sadie had two sons, Allen and Douglas, both of whom attended Moravian College and Theological Seminary and became ministers.

Rev. Dr. Allen W. Schattschneider* graduated from Moravian in 1923 and Moravian Theological Seminary in 1925. He completed the Doctor of Sacred Theology degree at Biblical Theological Seminary (now New York Theological Seminary) in 1929. He served Moravian congregations in New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and was elected bishop in 1961. Bishop Schattschneider served on the Board of Trustees of Moravian from 1956 to 1968. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by the seminary in 1958 and received the 1997 John Hus Alumni Award.

Rev. Dr. David A. Schattschneider*, Allen’s son, was a graduate of the Class of 1960. He went on to earn his Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School and a doctorate from the University of Chicago. David’s tenure at the Moravian Theological Seminary began in 1968 as a professor of historical theology and world Christianity. He was elected dean in 1988 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2001. David shaped the understanding and practice of hundreds of pastors, teachers, and church leaders on five continents. By founding the Center for Moravian Studies, he helped the larger world and Moravians themselves see that the history of the Moravians extends to radical roots tracing back to Hus, Comenius, and the Ancient Unity and forward to its diverse, living expressions in North America and around the world.

In 2016, the seminary awarded David an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in recognition of his global contributions in the field of Moravian history and his leadership at the seminary. His students and colleagues will remember him for his quick wit, mastery of historical facts and fiction, and sophisticated understanding of the intersection of history and theology. The Allen W. & David A. Schattschneider Scholarship Fund was established in their memory to provide financial assistance to students at the seminary.

Dr. Doris J. Schattschneider, David’s wife, is a Moravian University professor emerita of mathematics. Doris taught at Moravian from 1968 to 2002 and continues to have a tremendous impact on the university and its students. Doris completed her undergraduate studies in mathematics at the University of Rochester and earned a doctorate in mathematics in 1966 from Yale University. She was the first female editor of Mathematics Magazine, from 1981 to 1985, and has been active for more than 50 years in the Mathematical Association of America. Doris has numerous publications and is known for writing and lecturing about the art of M. C. Escher, one of the world’s most famous graphic artists. She has received awards for teaching and writing and was elected a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 1993. Since 2010, she has served on the advisory committee of the National Mathematics Museum in New York City. Doris created the Schattschneider Mathematics & Computer Science Prize at Moravian to help mathematics and computer science majors pursue undergraduate research opportunities or graduate degrees in mathematical sciences.

The Schattschneider family continues to share their love of Moravian University with current and future students to ensure a bright future for generations to come.

*Deceased