How 'paying it forward' continues to change students' futures at BGSU

Tiago Gaboardi received help from an initiative started by distinguished alumnus C. Raymond Marvin '60, ‘17 (Hon.)

By Branden Ferguson

Brazilian native Tiago Gaboardi has had a lifelong dream of becoming an airline pilot.

Three years into his journey at Bowling Green State University, an unexpected financial crisis threatened to ground that dream.

Gaboardi struggled with the uncertainty of how he would afford his final year in the flight technology and operations program.

“It was a difficult time for me,” said Gaboardi. “There were sleepless nights and endless thoughts about having to stop in the middle of everything."

Then, he learned about a unique scholarship at Bowling Green designed for students in his exact situation: the Pay it Forward Scholars Fund.

The Pay It Forward Scholars Fund was started by C. Raymond Marvin '60, ‘17 (Hon.), who, like Gaboardi, faced an unexpected financial crisis while in school. Thanks to the intervention of administrators and mentors, Marvin was able to stay in school and complete his degree – an act of kindness he never forgot.

Appreciating the power of generosity and philanthropy firsthand, he established the Pay It Forward Scholars Fund to provide current students with the financial support they need. The program operates on a unique, heartwarming premise: “pay it forward” by donating back to the fund once they are established in their careers.

"When I learned about the Pay It Forward scholarship, it changed my entire outlook and provided me with hope," Gaboardi said. “The idea that I would pay it forward to help the next generation really hit home. I want to be able to return the favor and help future students who are struggling. 

"One day, I want to be able to tell them, ‘I’ve been where you are,’ and then help them reach graduation.”

While the Pay It Forward scholarship provided Gaboardi with a friendly tailwind to make it to graduation, it also provided him with the opportunity to embrace student life fully, serve in the Undergraduate Student Government and be voted in as president of the organization.

"Before I came to Bowling Green, I never held a leadership position and didn't fully understand what that meant," admitted Gaboardi. "When I saw the opportunity to get involved in student government and saw how I could work with the University to make the community better, I fell in love with it."

Gaboardi is on track to graduate this summer and plans to begin his aviation career in the U.S., already setting his eyes on his dream job: serving as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.