Who Was Peter Gruber?
Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1929, Peter Gruber escaped to India with his parents in 1939, three months before the Second World War engulfed Europe. During the Japanese bombing of Calcutta, his parents sent him to a boarding school in the Himalayas, where he was educated by Irish Christian Brothers and Jesuits. These early experiences sparked what has become a lifelong questioning of the meaning and purpose of life, and a far ranging search for knowledge and understanding.
After the war, Mr. Gruber nurtured his growing interest in science, religion and philosophy as a student in Australia. He also studied Buddhism for a number of years and eventually moved to New York city where he founded the Oriental Studies foundation, which sponsored the translation and publication in English of Tibetan texts. He served briefly in the U. S. Arny Finance Corps and later went to work on Wall Street.
In the span of his career, Peter Gruber built a successful asset management business as a legendary pioneer in emerging markets, making possible the support of areas of his special interests: the pursuit of intellectual discovery, the advancement of academic excellence, and the development of a truly global perspective.
The Peter Gruber Foundation
Peter and his wife Patricia, a former psychologist, committed much of their resources and energy to the Gruber Foundation, a philanthropic organization which inspires and rewards individuals who have created a fundamental shift in human knowledge and culture. Its International Prize Program bestows cash awards and medals to prominent scientists around the world in the fields of Cosmology, Genetics, and Neuroscience, while its Young Scientist Awards recognize early career achievements (www.gruberprize.org). The Foundation further endows the Gruber Science Fellowship Program at Yale University and the Gruber Program for Global Justice and Women's Rights at the Yale Law School. Among its many other charitable undertakings, the Foundation has been a consistent and long-time supporter of educational, cultural, and social services in the Virgin Islands.
Today
Peter and Pat Gruber have partnered with VI Montessori School and International Academy to advance global education for youth in the Virgin Islands. They are excited by our commitment to foster in each student a global perspective, engaged citizenship, and a life-long pursuit of intellectual excellence. They are impressed by the world focus of our Montessori and International Baccalaureate curricula, by our participation in international activities such as Montessori Model United Nations, and by our active commitment to environmental stewardship. They understand who we are, what we do, and where we are going as a school. They support our work, and encourage us to hold a long term perspective - to see the school thriving for 100 years and beyond.
In recognition of the extraordinary life and work of Peter Gruber, our shared values, and the supportive role the Grubers have taken on the school's behalf, our upper school has been renamed the Peter Gruber International Academy. We are proud to carry on the name of one so deeply reflective, knowledgeable, productive, and principled. We hope that our students may embody the very best of his values and become global thinkers, life-long learners and caring contributors to our world. We thank Pat Gruber for her friendship and ongoing support. We are honored and deeply grateful.