Donor Stories

The ’Ville Brought this Couple Together
NOW THE GARNERS GIVE BACK TO THEIR ALMA MATER

by JaneT KaCSKOS

A young woman, who can trace her Lancaster roots to 1743, was looking out her Millersville dorm window at a baseball game when a young man caught her eye. The young woman was ELIZABETH LAFFERTY and the young man was JOSEPH GARNER, a first-generation college student. Elizabeth and Joseph have now been married for 31 years, have three children and are still involved with Millersville University.

Joseph is currently in his fourth term as a director of the Millersville University Foundation, dating back to 2004, where he currently serves as president. He is also Director of Research and a member of the smallcap growth portfolio management team for Leola-based Emerald Asset Management. Joseph graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Millersville University. Elizabeth graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history and later worked as an archivist with the Pennsylvania State Archives. She currently serves on the Advisory Council for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

The Garners have created two endowments for the University: the Joseph and Elizabeth Garner Marauder Fund Endowment, providing a scholarship for the student CEO of the Marauder Fund, and the Charlotte A. and Charles J. Lafferty History Scholarship, which provides a scholarship for a history major studying applied history.

Joseph worked with Dr. Mike Gumpper on the idea for the Marauder Fund, a student-led and student-managed investment fund. The work of dedicated members of the MU Foundation investment committee made it a reality. The Marauder Fund manages over $250,000 of the Millersville University
Foundation’s assets. It offers hands-on investment experience in building and managing a portfolio of stocks identified and researched by the students. “Our intent was to provide a unique, real-world educational experience for the students,” says Joseph. “Positive investment results were a secondary concern. As it turns out, the Marauder Fund has been a huge success in both regards. The Fund ranks as one of the Foundation’s top-performing investment managers, and students are gaining valuable experience as they progress through the ranks from junior analysts to the executive leadership team. Several students have told us how the Marauder Fund has changed their lives. We wanted to support the Marauder Fund and recognize the accomplishments and commitment of the students through our endowment.” He also notes that there are over 30 students currently involved in the Marauder Fund, representing lots of opportunity for fellow alumni to create additional scholarships.

The Lafferty Endowment was created in memory of Elizabeth’s parents. “My mother loved history, my father was a history teacher, and that’s why I became a history major,” says Elizabeth. “Joe and I come from middleclass backgrounds. My dad went to college on the GI Bill. My parents stressed education. We came to Millersville and had the opportunity to better ourselves. Without our education, we wouldn’t be where we are today. The experience was truly transformational for both of us. We know how difficult it can be to finance an education, and we wanted students to have that same positive, transformational experience that we did. We really do believe it’s important to give back to the University that has given us so much.”

Joseph also stresses the importance of giving. “Millersville University did so much for us. There are a couple of different ways to look at it; we wouldn’t be sitting here together and wouldn’t be where we are today professionally without Millersville. Neither of us came from wealthy families, but we benefited greatly from access to a high-quality, affordable education. On a smaller campus, like Millersville’s, you get to know your professors and interact with them. The faculty stoke areas of interest in their students and become mentors beyond their time on campus. We want to enable others to benefit from all that Millersville University has to offer.” 


This story was originally featured in the Fall-Winter 2022-2023 edition of the Millersville University "Review" Magazine.