David Arpi MS ’74 met his wife, Natalie Gubb MS ’74, in the same graduate program in urban policy and sciences at Stony Brook University. The pair soon began dating, loved to travel and built a life together. Arpi worked for the Federal Power Commission, consulted with an engineering research firm and later started a company called MACH Energy that provided cloud-based energy management software; Gubb went to law school and became a prominent affordable housing attorney in California.
Recently, Arpi honored his late wife by establishing an endowed scholarship for Stony Brook University’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP/AIM) — something he knows she would have been proud to support.
Over the years, Arpi and Gubb would make annual gifts to Stony Brook. Upon hearing about the New York State endowment match program and the Simons Infinity Investment Match Challenge in 2023, Arpi was inspired to do more. He established the Educational Opportunity Program Endowed Scholarship Fund in his wife’s memory.
Arpi said he named the fund after the program it supports in the hope that others will contribute to it. The EOP/AIM program provides higher education access, academic support and financial aid to students who show promise for succeeding in college but who may not have otherwise been offered admission.
“Natalie dedicated her career to helping thousands of people across California live in homes they can afford and mentoring young developers,” said Arpi. “My hope is that this fund will continue her life’s work to help students from lower-income backgrounds get the great education that both Natalie and I got at Stony Brook.” The funding will assist students within EOP/AIM with nontuition expenses such as room and board, books or travel costs.
“We are grateful for David Arpi’s confidence in the EOP/AIM,” said Pamela Matzner, director of the program. “Establishing this endowed scholarship fund in his wife’s honor is an investment into the future of our students, helping to ensure they graduate.”
Read the full story on SB Matters.
Add comment