Peirce College: Honoring veterans by supporting the G.I. Bill for 70 years

Ninety-two year old Peirce alumnus Clem Piscitelli, a member of our Class of 1948, is a proud member of the “greatest generation”, a popular term for the surviving veterans who fought in World War II.

When Clem returned home from Australia and New Guinea after the end of the war, he quickly saw that without further education, his options were limited. At the suggestion of a fellow vet, Clem enrolled in Peirce in 1946 with the help of the G.I. Bill. There, he met his wife of 65 years, Liz, and began to build the foundation for his successful career as a student in our Accounting program.

Peirce College is proud to have supported service members like Clem through the G.I. Bill, or the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944, which benefitted returning veterans with a free education and access to low-cost home loans.  It is for that exact reason that we remain passionate about making education accessible to our veterans and current service members. On June 23, we celebrated the 70th anniversary of the bill being signed into law.

Dylan Segelbaum, Staff Writer at the Daily News, was interested in showing appreciation for the bill – which is known as one of the most significant pieces of legislation of the 20th century – by talking to veterans who were able to take advantage of it at inception. Clem – who will turn 93 on July 5 - was called upon to share his insights and proudly did so. His vibrant spirit and drive was included in Dylan’s story celebrating the 70th anniversary of the bill. Head over to Philly.com to read more about Clem and the other Philadelphia-area veterans who have served our country, and in return, received a free education at local colleges and universities.

Thank you Clem, both for your service to our country and for sharing your story with us!