A match made at Geneseo By Lisa M. Feinstein he Pekariks met in Niagara Hall. Fourteen years later, Geneseo is still a strong part of their lives. John Pekarik ’98 lived in Niagara Hall during his first two years at Geneseo, and while he appreciates the education he received at college, some of John’s favorite memories center on the people he met. “I remember weekends when one of us would be the night host at Niagara. We’d hang out and order pizzas,” says John. “I’m still friends with a lot of those people today.” One of them became his wife. John met Stacy Mason Pekarik ’99 during her freshman year, but they didn’t start dating until 2003. Married in 2005, they are now the proud parents of a baby boy, Matthew. Stacy is a kindergarten teacher and John works for the IRS. Stacy credits her professors at Geneseo for nurturing her love of teaching. “David and Elisabeth Rogers knew what we were going through because they had been teachers themselves,” she says. “They made us better teachers.” As a political science major, John considered Professor Jeffrey Koch an inspiration. Today, he still works with Koch as a member of the Political Science Alumni Cabinet, providing field experiences and internships for students. The Pekariks also are loyal supporters of The Fund for Geneseo and the Ella Cline Shear School of Education. In fact, Stacy and John bear the proud distinction of having given back to the college for 12 years — every year since Stacy’s senior year. “Geneseo for me was the opportunity to grow and mature that I had never had before,” says John. “If I were going to choose a period that defined me as an adult, it would be the four years I spent in Geneseo.” Geneseo was and is an integral part of their lives. “You chose to go to Geneseo for a reason. You chose to stay and graduate. Think about what made you make those decisions and think about how your experience there influenced your life. Those experiences fundamentally defined who you are. That’s why it’s important to give back,” John says.
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Stacy Mason Pekarik ’99 and John Pekarik ’99, with their son, Matthew. PHOTO BY RONNA BOSKO