From the West Chester University Alumni Magazine, Fall 2017
James P. Shinehouse and his family are passionate about making a difference where it matters most — at home and thousands of miles away. Inspired by a desire to give back to his alma mater and to help those in need in Africa, Shinehouse was intrigued when he heard Dr. Rebecca Chancellor and Dr. Aaron Rundus talk about the Gishwati research project at a meeting of the WCU Foundation Board of Trustees. The project’s roots in psychology also resonated with Shinehouse, whose father, the late Robert Shinehouse, was a longtime professor of psychology at WCU, and whose daughter, Laura, is currently studying psychology at Dickinson College. The multi-pronged requirements for Shinehouse’s philanthropic attention and support seemed to be perfectly aligned.
“I remember going home that evening and saying to my wife, Pat, ‘I think we have something where we can help WCU and those in Africa; we can do both,’” recalls Shinehouse, a partner at Atlantic Financial Advisory in Philadelphia.
Ultimately, the husband and wife made a decision that literally put the structural frame to a vision intended to unite people from all disciplines and throughout the world. The couple’s lead gift was the linchpin; the new field research station would not exist were it not for the generosity of the family for whom it bears its name.
“As my education at West Chester has helped me, I feel that it is important to take what I have been given and do the same,” shares Shinehouse, who is a member of the WCU Foundation Board.
It’s a conviction that means something to a man who is driven to give back to his community through active service on numerous charitable boards. Among his many volunteer roles, which include locally the Domestic Violence Center and Legacy Youth Tennis, is that of vice chairman of The Gemology Institute of America, a non-profit organization that has advanced his knowledge of those living in Africa.
Shinehouse is inspired by what awaits in the “land of a thousand hills.” He says, “It is my hope that the facility will support and help the local community in Rwanda, while elevating WCU in the international community and supporting University faculty in their research.”